


Gifting you a new life

by Yuulina_vre



Series: Stucky x Reader [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Accidents, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - School, Angst, Art Teacher, Awkward Flirting, Car Accidents, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, First Dates, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Heavy Angst, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Minor Injuries, Movie Night, Moving, Panic Attacks, Teacher Reader, Teacher Steve, Teacher Steve Rogers, damaged car, sergeant bucky, sergeant bucky barnes - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:34:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23635405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yuulina_vre/pseuds/Yuulina_vre
Summary: On hiatus!Steve and Y/N live together in her house for a while now. One day they meet Bucky, an ex-sergeant, and Y/N is determind to get them together, even when her life gets turned around by her ex-boyfriend.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Reader, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers & Reader
Series: Stucky x Reader [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701544
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	1. First meeting

Waking up is almost always a struggle. Y/N hates people who are chipper in the morning and before it’s ten no one needs to come close to her with any sort of happiness. She clearly isn’t a morning person. Steve knows that very well, having witnessed enough mornings with grumbling and glaring to him that he always is cautious of her. Today, though, Y/N wakes and feels good. She’s rested, having fallen asleep earlier than usual and slept like a baby with the proper amount of sleep that her body seems to need. She stretches and lets her back pop before he swings her legs over the edge of the bed and turning off her alarm. She wonders mildly why she woke to her alarm and not to Steve. Usually Steve is the one to wake her up. She shrugs it off and walks into her attached bathroom to grab a quick shower. She stands a while under the spray, letting the warm water warm her up nicely and waking her a bit more before she starts to wash her hair quickly. She shuts off the water, dries herself off and secures her hair in a towel on her head. Then she walks out into the hall. She passes Steve’s door and thinks for a moment until she decides to knock. “Steve are you up?” She listens but hears nothing. “Maybe he went for a run.” She thinks for a moment before she continues down her way into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water to take up to her room. It’s not unusual for Steve to go on an early morning run. He did that a lot when they were still in the university, less since they work, though, but he still tries to go at least three days a week to run.

Back in her room she takes a big gulp of water before she dries her hair with the towel as best as it can get and then takes her hair dryer to get it actually dry. Then she quickly slips into her dark blue jeans and a white blouse. She looks to her nightstand, seeing the green letters on her radio alarm. It’s quarter past seven and Y/N frowns a little. If Steve is actually on a run then he would already be back by now, making breakfast and complaining about her needing so long. Which she can’t understand, since she’s not doing any make up for work, she’s actually pretty quick in getting ready. She needs longer to get out of bed than to actually get dressed. She walks back in to the hall for the second time. “Steve! Get up or you’ll be late! It’s the second time that I knock now.” Y/N knocks on his door before she shuffles back into her own bathroom. She quickly brushes her teeth and her hair, pulls it up into a ponytail and looks herself over for a last time. Then she walks back into her bedroom, quickly packs her bag for work and goes out into the hall. She stops at Steve’s room again and frowns a little.

She’s the one who loves to sleep in and sometimes Steve has his dear struggles to get her awake and presentable in time. When he’s not waking her then she’s the one to wake him but that is pretty rare. Sometimes Steve grades the essays until deep into the night or he does some art for his own. That always causes him to sleep in a little. He usually gets up by the second knock though and he did neither of the things last night.

She knocks again. “Steve? You’re up?” She waits but receives no answer. “I’m coming in, yeah?” She waits for him to respond again but as the silence stretches, she lets her bag fall to the floor and opens the door carefully. The room is pitch black. No sound comes from it and Y/N is a little confused. Steve rarely draws his blinds closed. He loves to gaze at the stars and search for constellations when he can’t fall asleep. She steps in slowly and looks around until she spots Steve’s figure on his bed. “Steve?” The man does not react to her call aside from a little twitch. She sighs a little frustrated and turns to the light switch to turn the light on as she hears his, surprisingly, silent and tired sounding voice. “Please don’t. No light.” Y/N raises her eyebrows in surprise before she frowns at him again and she walks over to Steve’s bed, crouching down beside him. She sees his features. He really looks tired. And pale, even in the nonexciting light. She raises her hand and places it on his forehead. “Are you sick?”

“Nah.” He answers with a rough voice and then groans. “Migraine.” Y/N winces in sympathy. She knows Steve’s migraines are getting pretty bad sometimes. Normally it’s just a mean headache that sits behind his eyes, letting him think the pop right out. He still powers through teaching, then and collapses on the couch when he’s home. Y/N usually strokes through his hair then and sometimes reads from her recent book to him until he falls asleep. If the migraine is worse, than he can’t get up from bed. Light feels like it’s making him blind and he constantly feels sick but never vomits, which makes him mentally exhausted and a little antsy sometimes. He’s always waiting to vomit, hoping he would feel better afterwards. His limbs would hurt pretty much and he rather stays in bed then move an inch.

“How long has it been now?”

“Started around three.” He groans again and hides a little further into the pillows. Y/N runs her hand lightly through his hair, scratching her nails a little at his neck and massaging it. Steve let’s out a small sigh. “You should have woken me, Stevie.”

“Nah. Didn’t want to wake you up. Can’t do anything ‘bout it.” Y/N sighs and shakes her head. “I’ll be back in a minute.” Her voice is low and soft, showing him that she’s not pleased that he didn’t say anything but still worries and cares about his wellbeing. She massages his neck for a small moment and then walks out of the room. She has not much time before she needs to leave but she takes what little time she has to make sure Steve has everything he needs until she comes home. She runs down the stairs and to the kitchen to get three water bottles from the fridge, some light food and runs back up to her bathroom, not wanting to go to Steve’s and bother him with loud sounds. She searches a little until she finds some painkillers in her cabinet before she walks into Steve’s bedroom again. She places everything on the floor as she kneels down beside Steve again. She arranges the three bottles on his nightstand, places the crackers and what she brought next to it before she lightly touches Steve’s back and runs her hand over it. “Stevie. Take some painkillers, come on.” Y/N helps him to sit up, at least that far that he’s able to drink something. She gives him some painkillers and passes a water bottle to him to get them down. The moment he finished he falls back down with a groan. “It’s a really bad one, huh?”

“Hm.” Steve hums and drapes his arm over his eyes. “Shit.” Y/N curses and rubs his arm. She feels conflicted. She really needs to leave now to get to school on time but she doesn’t want to leave Steve alone if he feels that bad. She knows he can cope with his migraine and that she actually can’t really do anything to help him if he stays but her mind would be at ease. She would know he’s alright and not dying on his way to the toilet because he hit his head against something while stumbling around. Pepper and Tony wouldn’t be happy about her calling them both in sick though. And Steve wouldn’t either. “Okay, I need to leave. Did you call or text Pepper? Called in sick?” Steve grunts a no and Y/N hums at it. “That’s okay. I’ll do it on my way to school. You just stay here, okay? Rest, don’t move. Maybe try to sleep a little.” She leans in and presses a soft kiss to the space on his forehead that she can reach before she stands back up. “Call me if you need something.” She waits for a second until he nods before she gently squeezes his ankle in and silently slips out of his room. She quickly grabs her bag and a toast from the kitchen to eat while driving. She grabs her keys and leaves the house, almost running because she’s actually running late now. She fumbles with her phone while opening the car door, slips in, starts the engine and drives while dialing Peppers office number, Toast in her mouth.

_“Starks school for gifted children, Pepper Potts, hello?”_

“Hi, Pepper. It’s Y/N.” Y/N quickly chews the last bite and swallows it down, suppressing the need to cough because she didn’t chew it properly. _“Hello Y/N. Good morning. What can I do for you?”_ Peppers chipper voice sounds through the speaker and actually makes Y/N smile. Not only is Pepper the school’s secretary, she’s also Tony’s wife and deputy headmistress. And almost always in a good mood, except if Tony did any dumb stuff again or someone even dares to look at the school and the teachers in the wrong way. “I want to call Steve in. He’s sick and won’t make it to work today. And maybe tomorrow from the looks of it.” Y/N is glad that it’s actually Thursday already so the students won’t miss anything important now. Summer break is in two weeks and the most stuff they have to teach is over. Now the children only have to study on their own most of the time to get ready for the last big exam before they go on their break for a while. She hears Pepper sigh, if it’s in sympathy or something else she can’t tell but she knows Pepper never means something to hurt someone so she hopes its sympathy. At least her voice sounds like it. _“Oh no, okay. I type him in. Is it that serious? His asthma?”_

“I hope not and his asthma is fine, still as few attacks as usual. He says it’s a migraine. But a bad one as it seems. He was pretty pale and couldn’t get out of bed.”

_“Oh man. That the second this month. Will he be alright? You did order him to sleep it off, right?”_

“Who do you think I am? Of course, I made him sleep. He’s not supposed to move an inch.” Y/N smiles while she stops at a red light. She really likes that Pepper worries about her and Steve so much. They actually got pretty close in the last year. They consider each other as friends already. With Tony it wasn’t so easy, at least for Steve. Tony almost instantly liked Y/N after they started teaching five years ago. Steve, though, was a whole other story. Somehow the two men almost constantly were on each other’s throats. Last year Y/N and Pepper had enough. They had sat them down in a room, gave them a lecture and locked them in it with the promise to let them out when they got things sorted. It actually took an hour for both of them to get along. Since then they are pretty good friends. Still fighting now and then but always making up after a week or so.

_“That’s good. I can see here that he has three art classes to day.”_

“I can take them. One is in my free hour and one after I usually finished everything. The other one can be put together with my art class for the new kids. I can make them work together. They can learn a thing or two. His history classes should have enough work to do with studying for the exam he set up for Monday. He has just two of the starter classes today, if I’m right.”

_“Yeah, I see it. His plan tomorrow is with only one art class and four history classes. You need to call in tomorrow morning to tell me if he’s coming.”_

“No problem.” Y/N only need five more minutes until she’s driving on the parking lot of the school so she drives a little slower, not speeding so much. _“Okay. But he’s supposed to have a meeting with Tony around two, today. I need to talk to Tony about it.”_

“If it’s about the art classes than I can take the meeting over, otherwise I’m afraid you need to reschedule.”

_“I’ll talk to Tony. You better come in when you arrive.”_

“Sure.” Y/N hangs at the phone. She tells pepper She’s there in two minutes and comes straight to her. Then she hangs up and sighs.

* * *

“Remember to always look from where the light shines and the skin reflects. Jeff stop staring at Amy and concentrate on your canvas.” Some kids snicker at the boy and Y/N smiles kindly at him. She’s always strict in her classes, lecturing quickly and without mercy but always manages to sound kind. She tries to never be unfair and listen to the kid’s sides so everybody has a chance to justify themselves. And it shows that the kids appreciate it. She’s one of the most liked teaches, together with Steve and Pietro, the sports teacher. Tony always says that it is because they all three are almost equal young and still in range of the kids that they’re teaching. They get along and understand them better and some old fart teacher like Thaddeus Ross. The man is still liked but only by kids that share his taste in things.

Y/N turns back to the whole class. “I’ll go around, see how you’re doing. Ask if somethings up. I know I do this differently than Mr. Rogers but maybe you can learn a thing or two.”

She just starts her round through the classroom, looking at the canvasses, adjusting hands and giving advises to shade something as it knocks on the door. She straightens up form next to a boy and looks at the door. She wonders who’s interrupting her lesson. No one else should be in the building, it’s the last class of the day and most of the teachers and students are already home. “Come in, please.” Y/N call. The door opens and a tall, brunette man steps in. he looks really uncomfortable to interrupt the class and Y/N thinks for a second that it serves him right. She’s already in the second half and he could have waited just a little longer. He also looks like he wouldn’t fin in this school. It’s not that he looks run down or some kind of dumb (Tony might have rubbed off her with that) he just looks out of place. Somehow his statue shouts that he’s a well-trained man, athletic and disciplined. Though he has a light blush on his face.

“I’m sorry. I’m actually searching for, ah… Mr. Rogers.” Y/N studies the man before she nods. “Peter, you have the saying. I’ll be back in a minute.” With that she claps the boy beside her on the shoulder and steps up to the man. She motions for him to step back outside and follows him, closes the door and turns to him fully. “My name is Y/N Y/L/N. Who are you?”

“My name is James Barnes. Am I in the wrong classroom?”

“No, you’re right. Mr. Rogers called in sick. I took his class over. Can I help you?” From close up the man looks right out handsome. His beard is neatly trimmed and he has beautiful grey eyes. Y/N even likes the hair color and silently thinks that Steve would like that man pretty well. His long brown hair his pulled back into a loose bun on the back of his head. He’s dressed in a neat white button-down and dark pants. He must be around the height of Steve.

“I doubt it.” The man frowns shortly before his face turns into one of shock at realizing how his answer came out like. “I mean- I’m sorry. I don’t want to sound rude.” The man rubs the back of his neck and clears his throat. Y/N thinks he is a bit adorable like this. She never met a man that can be this awkward in front of someone unknown, aside from Steve. “When will Mr. Rogers be back, do you know?”

“I don’t. Maybe you should call in tomorrow morning. I’m sure Mrs. Potts can give you more information then.” She eyes the man a little as he nods.

He seems to fiddle with something in his hands and she looks down to cast a brief look at it. She can’t see what he holds but she wonders what he wears black thin looking gloves when it’s almost 29°C in the shadow outside. Mr. Barnes notices her gaze and looks back up at her, opens his mouth just as the classroom door opens. “Ms. Y/L/N, Tom is starting a fight with Carol again.”

“Okay, Peter. I’ll be there in a second.” Then she turns back to the man. “I’m sorry, Mr. Barnes but I need to get back inside. Is there something else I can help you with?” The man actually looks a little defeated at that. He clearly had something to say but now isn’t sure if he should. He nods. “Could you give him my card and ask him to call me? I will call in tomorrow like you said but… I just want to make sure he knows that I want to talk to him.”

“Of course.” Y/N takes the card and smiles at him. “If there’s nothing else, Mr. Barnes then I wish you a good day.” Mr. Barnes nods at her and says his farewell, too. Y/N slips back into the classroom, casting a last look into at the men before the door closes on its own. Then she concentrates back on her pupils. “Carol! Put the paint down. I see, you and Tom want to clean the room after class.”

“But Tom-”

“No buts, Carol. You two are on cleaning duty. There are always two people needed for a fight. Now back to your easel and try to make the best out of the remaining time.” Y/N looks stern at the blonde girl and black-haired boy, earning herself some halfhearted glares before she sits down at her desk. Her gaze wanders over the kids while her hand fiddles a little with the card in her hand. She looks down at the card in her hand and makes a surprised noise. “What does the military want from Steve?” She thinks about some things as a voice calls her. “Ms. Y/L/N. I think I messed up.” Y/N looks up at the brunette boy and walks over to him. “Show me, Peter.”


	2. Finding the hint

Bucky wakes up tiredly. The night wasn’t one of the best he ever had but it wasn’t as bad as the worst ones. His shoulder hurts so he starts massaging around on the scarred flesh before he throws the cover off himself. He yawns for a moment, throws his legs over the edge of the bed, stands up and stretches his arm as high as he can. He throws a quick glance at his metal arm that he had taken off before bed, then walks into his bathroom. He looks at his reflection in his mirror and sighs in annoyance against his hair. It’s all tangled up nicely and looks like a mop, not like hair. He shakes his head, not even trying to get it somehow presentable. Instead, he undresses as best as he can with just one arm and grabs a quick shower.

He feels more awake afterwards. He quickly wraps a towel around his waist and holds it with his hand until he is in his bedroom again. There he sits down on the bed, garbs his prosthesis and lets go of the towel. It’s not like someone can see him running around naked anyway. Aside from Maggie but she’s not even here. Bucky struggles a little with getting the arm attached to his shoulder. It always hurts a little afterwards and the throughout the day and it is an even more struggle to get the damned think attaches alone. He hates this arm. He lost his left in war, saving a comrade’s life, which everybody tells him was a noble thing to do. Bucky thinks that too but from time to time he thinks about the things he lost because of that. He lost his arm, his hobby, because while you can still do sports with one arm, playing football proofs difficult. At least when your shoulder starts hurting as soon as you raise your arm over your head or move it too fast. Bucky quickly dresses in some pants and his shirt before he shuffles down the stairs to his kitchen. He yawns tiredly again, still not really awake and switches on the coffee machine before he starts the toaster. He eats a quick breakfast, drinks his coffee and reads a little though the news on his phone. A meow sounds from behind him and Bucky turns around to be greeted by a white, black-footed fluffy cat that stares up at him. “Hey you. Finally, back? I waited for hours last night.” Bucky glares at his little girl but Magnolia only meows at him and rubs her head against his leg with a purr. Bucky shakes his head and silently curses himself for being so soft for the fur ball. “You know, one of these days I see you stealing my credit card to buy yourself some staff or something. You do what you want, huh?” The cat meows again, looks up at him and flicks its tail as if to say that he’s damn right. Bucky chuckles. “Yeah, yeah. For feeding I’m good enough, I know.” He bends down and picks the little fur ball up into his arms. Magnolia rubs her head under his chin with some more purring. Bucky’s gaze switches to his clock on the wall but he decides that he can take five minutes to cuddle with Maggie for a little bit. He leans back on his chair and strokes though the cat’s fur, letting her purr against his chest while she still rubs her head against his chin and shoulder. As much as Maggie is outside, she loves to cuddle with him. Sometimes Bucky thinks that she has more of a dog in her genes. She always seems to know when he’s not feeling well or in pain. She comes running up to him, greatly takes her places on his lap or chest and stays there, purring contently and letting the man stroke through her fur. She stays as long as Bucky lets her and he has to admit that it can be pretty long. Magnolia is just really good at comforting.

The little white ball meows again eventually and Bucky kisses her head. “I know, I need to get ready.” He sets her down and walks over to her bowl, filling it with some food. “See you later, Maggie. Don’t do stupid stuff. And don’t scratch the couch again. I know it was you!” He points at the cat, but Magnolia just throws an innocent look at him. He shakes his head again before he walks to his wardrobe, slips on his ID card for the military and takes the dog tags form the key hooks where they always hang. He stokes his thumb carefully over the old and damaged metal, lingering for a moment in some memories. These tags are the only thing that he still has from his time as a soldier. They aren’t his though, oh no. They’re from the man that he rescued. A comrade, a total stranger. He pushed him away as a grenade exploded which made him fall down a small cliff. That was the day he lost his arm. He can’t remember much about the day, let alone the face of the captain he saved. Since he retired his service and works in the lost-and-found section of the military he tries to find the man. For five years now and he still has no clue who he is or where to find him. He doesn’t even know if he’s still alive or died that day. No one could help him and no one knows the man. At least no one he talked with. He carries the tags with him, as reminder and in hopes to finally find a clue one day and get the chance to give them back. He carefully slips them into his jeans pocket, takes his car keys, locks the door and walks over to his car. The old thing looks like it’s falling apart some day and Bucky really hopes that his motorcycle will be repaired by tomorrow. He hates his car.

* * *

The moment he opens the door to his office at the community center he sighs. He managed to get across the whole place without anyone stopping him to have a chat. It’s not that he doesn’t like talking to anyone but if he doesn’t have to than that its totally fine to him. He likes to be alone and have his silence. He only greeted some people he knows pretty well, and actually likes.

Now he collapses into his chair with a huff. It’s not that he has much to do but the few things he has to do are tiring. Carding through old files, newspaper, calling the archive of the military and so on. And all that just to return some old things, that were found, to retired soldiers or their remaining family. To be fair, most of them are very happy to get some memories to cherish.

Bucky rubs at his shoulder, his prosthetic gives him more trouble today. He wonders if his shoulder is too stiff already, it has only been two weeks since it got massaged. Or if it got infected again. that happens sometimes and with all the scarring he has he feels his fears are true that the doctor was very sloppy in his work. If he had enough money, he would go to the next best doctor get everything fixed but that would cost a fortune and the military would not help him out since he already got his arm and operations covered before. He lets out a second sigh as it knocks on the door. He looks up just as it opens and a brunette woman steps in. “Maria.” Maria Hill, one of Bucky’s favorite co-workers and at the same time some sort of boss, after Nick Fury of course, holds a cardboard box in her hands. “Hello James. I’ve got something new for you.”

“Again? I didn’t even finish the last box.”

“I know. But this might interest you. The things all should be easy to get back.” She places the box on his table and opens it. “We got a few lost dog tags, some pictures form wife’s and children, clothes and all that.”

“Something pretty damaged?”

“No, at least not as damaged as the tags that you’re always carrying around.” She musters his feature as his hand instantly raises to the pocket. “Did you find any clue by now?”

“No.” Bucky sighs defeated. “The guy seems to have vanished. I found some guys who were in the same area as we were back then but no one seems to be either around or to remember. Just have to keep looking.”

“Did you look through protocols?”

“Yeah, and I asked Peggy. But nothing ‘til now.”

“You’ll find him eventually.” Maria pats him on the shoulder with a kind smile. “Anyway, this here might be a little easier. The tags are pretty good to read so you shouldn’t have any difficulties to find the ones to return them to. Some of the photos even have names written on the back, could be some kind of help.”

“Thanks.” Bucky gifts her a small smile before he pulls the box closer to look through it. Maria looks him over for a while. “It’s ad again, huh?”

“Hm?” Bucky looks up at her, wondering what she means this time. “Your shoulder. You’re holding it in a protective posture again.” She nods at his shoulder before she crosses her arms. “I don’t understand why you aren’t asking Fury for a new one.”

“Because his answer is going to be the same as last time.” Now Bucky leans back in his chair, crossing his own arms over his chest. “He’s going to say that I already got a new arm and that the military isn’t a charity organization. We don’t repair what’s already been repaired.” Bucky rolls his eyes and sees Maria do the same. “Should I talk to him?”

“No. I will talk to Phil, try to find out if I have any other option so I don’t need to pay everything on my own. Since then I have to live with this.” He shrugs his shoulder and suppresses a wince as a sharp pain shoots through it. Maria seems to notice it, her face darkens a bit but she says nothing to it, well knowing Bucky will deny it if she points it out. “Fine. But do it quickly. It wouldn’t help when your shoulder is too damaged to repair anything.” She is almost out of the door as she turns to him again. “James. Nick says you still have to take your vacation. If you haven’t taken it by the end of the month, he’s going to force you.” He looks up, feeling a little uncomfortable but nods at the woman. “I know.” He watches as Maria leaves before he leans back in his seat again. It’s really not that he doesn’t want a vacation, he just doesn’t know what to do with all the time. He has no family left to visit, no other half to take on dates, Magnolia would disagree, though. She likes a good treat.

A vacation also means that he has way too much time to think, too. After he lost his arm he was in a really dark space of his head. It had taken his therapist almost two and a half years to get him back out of it and since then Bucky always tires to take as less free day’s as he can. Still, Fury always insist that he takes his vacation and always makes sure he really does.

While he goes to the contents of the box, he sees a photo that somehow catches his attention. On it is a man, clearly a higher ranged soldier with a woman. They’re both smiling at the little blonde boy in the man’s arms. The boy seems to be around five years old, has a lost tooth but he seems a bit smaller than other kids Bucky has ever seen at that age. He’s also very thin for a boy but his eyes shine with happiness as he hugs his dad while laughing. The photo is well used with all sorts of bends and folds in it. The edges turned a little yellow with time and are a little frayed. He keeps looking at it for a while longer and sets his mind to find the owner to this one first. He turns the photo around to see if somethings written on it. “Sarah and me with our little sunshine. 1993.” Bucky reads out a loud. He turns the picture again. He thinks for a moment where he could start to search but then just decides to run down to the archive to ask Peggy about it. She knows almost everything anyway.

* * *

The archive, like almost all archives, is down in the basement of the whole compound. It’s pretty big and each time Bucky is down here he asks himself how Peggy still knows where to find something. Peggy Carter is one of Bucky’s favorite woman. She’s kind and almost always like to chat with him. She listens to him and is actually the only one that never showed him some kind of pity. She always says what she thinks and is honest with him. He appreciates it very much. Peggy even established the lost-and-found unit for the military, having lost her own husband in a war.

He knocks lightly at the door and waits for Peggy to call him in. Never would he dare to just enter. Peggy can be really scary when she wants to be and he learned that lesson more than once. “Come in.”

“Hello, Peg.”

“Bucky. How nice to see you.” The elderly woman smiles at him and waves him over. “What brings you down here?”

“I need your help. Do you happen to know this man or where I can find something about him?” He passes the picture over to her and she eyes it for a while before turning it over. The year that’s on the paper is one year before Peggy lost her husband, so she knew many soldiers at that time.

She hums and mutters to herself before she stands up and shuffles away to vanish behind some of the shelves. Twenty minutes later she comes back with a big box of folders. “This are all the soldiers that got send away in 1993. Let’s see if he was one of them.” Bucky nods and they go through folder after folder until Peggy hums. “I knew he’s familiar. He was the one to always get me some cake on my birthday. And his little boy was a really sweet one. He drew me lots of pictures, quite talented actually.”

“Show me?” Bucky holds his hand out for the folder and Peggy passes it to him with a bitter expression. “The poor boy. He must be in your age now. Joseph was a really nice man. But in 1993 he was sent to this stupid battle.” The brunette shakes her head with a displeased sound. “The battle of Mogadishu.” She scoffs and Bucky can clearly see what she thinks about it. He heard about it too and even after not that many soldiers died it was a battle that was just unnecessary. “The man never came back. Sarah had to raise Steve all on her own. The boy had lots of sicknesses and Sarah had to manage double shifts in the hospital and caring for the boy when he was ill again.” Bucky looks up from the folder and passes it back to Peggy. “Do you know where I can find her?”

“I’m afraid you can’t, Bucky. I think Sarah died a few years ago. I think the boy just turned 18.” Bucky raises his eyebrows and looks down at the picture. “Seems like a bad life for him so far.” He picks the picture up and looks at Peggy again. “Do you know where he lives now?”

“No. Dear god, if I would know where everybody’s children moved, I would know whole America.” She frowns at him but her eyes still sparkle. Bucky guesses she has some nice memories returning right now. “Okay, okay, Peggy.” Bucky raises his hands with an amused laugh. “Need some help to get these away before I leave.”

“I got this, you just go and make this boy a bit happier.” She waves at Bucky as he leaves.

* * *

Bucky had done a lot of googling and asking around until he got a hint that there is a Mr. Steve Rogers working at Starks school of the gifted. He somehow got some pupils to talk to him and find the class this Mr. Rogers is leading know. He knocks carefully on the door and is a little surprised as a woman’s voice answers him. He steps in and looks around briefly, wondering if the kids got him to the wrong classroom. All the kids that sin on their easels, drawing on a canvas with one figure standing in the middle which must be some kind of sample for the students. “I’m sorry. I’m actually searching for, ah… Mr. Rogers.” The woman looks at him before she talks to a brunette boy beside her and walks up to him, motioning him outside. “My name is Y/N Y/L/N. Who are you?” Bucky thinks this woman seems really nice and pretty, his age.

He somehow feels like he’s talking to a younger version of Peggy. The woman seems to know what she wants, kind but like she could scare you away with just her gaze if she wanted. Still, she looks like she’s constantly smiling.

“My name is James Barnes. Am I in the wrong classroom?” He hopes that she can really help him out here. “No, you’re right. Mr. Rogers called in sick. I took his class over. Can I help you?” She looks curious at him but somehow Bucky doesn’t want to tell her why he’s here. She seems nice, sure, but this is something not everybody is comfortable with other people knowing. Especially with memories that probably hurt. “I doubt it.” Bucky stops speaking and makes a pained expression. Why did he say that? He curses himself before he hastily corrects himself, hoping he didn’t offend the woman. “I mean. I’m sorry. I don’t want to sound rude.” He curses himself again, feeling himself being awkward and rubs his neck. “When will Mr. Rogers be back, do you know?”

“I don’t. Maybe you should call in tomorrow morning. I’m sure Mrs. Potts can give you more information.” Ms. Y/L/N still looks kindly at him and he sighs that he didn’t made her angry or something. “Ms. Y/L/N, Tom is starting a fight with Carol again.”

“Okay, Peter. I’ll be there in a second.” The woman looks back at him and her eyes get some more softer than before. Bucky thinks that she must have seen his disappointment. “I’m sorry, Mr. Barnes but I need to get back inside. Is there something else I can help you with?” Bucky feels a little disappointed. He had hoped to get it done today, to see the man and give him the picture. See his happy smile and maybe hear a story or two about his family. He quickly recovers, though, nods and pulls one of his business cars out of his briefcase “Could you give him my card and ask him to call me? I will call in tomorrow like you said but… I just want to make sure he knows that I want to talk to him.”

“Of course.” She smiles again before she says her goodbye and vanishes inside the classroom again. Bucky stands a moment longer at the door before he makes his way back out of the school. He thinks about what he can do now. Go back to work and try to find someone else he can return something from his box to or waiting until he can talk to Mr. Rogers.

Before he actually reaches the door, he changes his mind. Why not asking the secretary know? He turns around and makes his way to the office of Mrs. Potts.


	3. I help you out

“Steve, I’m back!” Y/N shout-whispers as she closes the door behind her and puts her keys into the bowl beside the door. She shrugs out of her jacket and walks into the living room. She’s about to place her bag on the couch as she sees Steve lying there. “What are you doing down here? Do you feel better?”

“Yeah, was tired of my own walls.” Steve squints at her and smiles. He looks a bit better. “I thought I said you’re not supposed to move.” She crosses her arms with a smile before she runs her hand through his hair. Steve sits up a little and pulls Y/N over so she sits beside him, then he lies back down, head in her lap so she can run her hand through his hair some more. He sighs contently and Y/N laughs. “I took your classes over and had the meeting with Tony.”

“Oh, that was today? What did he say?” Steve opens his eyes again, after having closed them. Y/N looks around for a moment. She notices that the blinds are closed, not entirely but enough to make the living room some kind of shadowed. Each time Steve moves a bit too much to the side he’s his by some rays of sun. He squints his eyes then, almost closing them with a pained expression. She lets him move around so he looks more at her and his face is more in the shadow. “He likes your idea. He gave me some concepts for the classroom you want to modify. He said you should look them over and tell him by Monday what you think so he can make plans to get it renovated. He also wants a list of which materials and graphic tablets you want.”

“So soon, huh.”

“You know him.” Y/N shrugs and smiles at him. Steve hums and slings his arm around her hip, pulling himself closer. Even when they are just friends, well, best friends, Steve always acts a little affectionate with her. And Y/N copies that. More than once where they told that they are a cute couple and almost always they blushed and showed each other a disgusted face. Y/N urns her hand through Steve’s hair again, pulling at the knots and tries to entangle it. He needs a new haircut. It’s been grown quite long now but it matches with his beard. Maybe she cuts it for him on the weekend. “How was class?”

“Went okay. By the way, do you know a- Hold on.” Y/N pushes Steve a little so she can reach her bag. She pulls it on Steve’s sides and start rummage in it until she finds the small card and pulls it out, letting her bag fall to the floor. “Do you know a James Barnes?”

“No. Why?” She passes him the card and studies his features while he reads it over. His brows draw together and he turns the card a few times. “He was in school, came into the classroom and asked for you. He seemed determined and wants you to call him. It seemed important to him. He looked disappointed when I told him you’re called in sick.”

“What did he want?” Steve lifts his eyes to look at her but Y/N shrugs. “I don’t know. He didn’t say. But he looked serious.”

“Hm.” Steve hums and inspects the card again. “He’s working in the lost-and-found office of the army.”

“What does the army want? Did you lose something?”

“Not like that.” Steve shakes his head and sits up fully, groaning as the light his him directly into the face. “They return things people lost while on the battlefield. The found things go to the lost-and-found office and they try to find the people. It’s a difficult thing to do, not very easy I assume. Sometimes they have to give it to the remaining family. I think there is pretty much emotion combined with the task.”

“Do you think he wants to give you something? From your dad?” She watches as Steve sacks a bit into the couch. His expression isn’t readable but Y/N thinks she sees some kind of hope in his eyes. She knows Steve loved his dad. And she knows he was really sad, still is, after he passed away. He has almost no memory of him, only some pictures his Ma left behind. His eyes wander instantly over to a picture of his parents on the wall. “Maybe.” He throws the card back on the coffee table and closes his eyes. “My head’s pounding.” Y/N snorts at that and sits closer to him so she can massage his neck this time. “Told you, you should have stayed in bed.”

“Yeah, yeah. I feel sick.”

“Poor baby.” She earns herself a half-hearted glare from the man and giggles a little. “More painkillers?”

“Please.” Y/N kisses his cheek before she walks up into her bathroom, get the painkillers and then slips quickly into Steve’s room. The bottles on his bed are all empty, the food is still there though. Y/N shakes her head and walks back to Steve. “No wonder you feel sick. You haven’t eaten anything, right?”

“No. Couldn’t.” Y/N lifts her eyebrow at him and stands back up. She walks into the kitchen, gets herself and Steve glass of water and takes some cracker back out to him. She passes him the glass and makes him take the painkillers before she shoves the crackers to him. “Eat.” Her voice lets no room to argue so Steve eats.

They sit for a while, Y/N massaging Steve’s neck and Steve just trying to be as comfortable as he can while nibbling on his crackers.

The doorbell gets Y/N out of the silence, Steve groans deeply and covers his ears. Y/N suspects that his migraine kicks back in into full drive which it sometimes does. She pats his shoulder in sympathy, stands up and walks over to the door. “Yes. Oh. Mr. Barnes.” She’s faced with the sight of the brunette man that looks just as shocked as she feels. Then he blushes deeply, looks at a sheet of paper in his hand, to their house number, back on the sheet and then around to see if somewhere is a sign with the street name. “Oh my god. Am I wrong again?”

“Not if you’re here for Steve.” She smiles at the man and he finally looks back up at her.

“Oh.” He looks confused at Y/N and she needs to suppress the smile that forms on her lips. The man stares at her for a moment, still looking dumbfounded and eventually blurts out a question. “Are you his girlfriend?”

“Dear god, no. I would get insane with him. He’s my best friend. We just live together. How did you find our house?”

“I was talking to Mrs. Potts as Mr. Stark came across. He gave me the address and I thought I try my luck.” Y/N raises her eyebrows and mentally makes a list to talk to Tony about giving their address to strangers. “Y/N who’s the- Oh…” Y/N turns around just as Steve comes into view. He sways a little and suddenly holds his head as he falls forward. “STEVE!” She runs up to him but only manages to prevent his head to hit the floor, effectible trapping her hand between his head and the ground. She bites back a scream of pain and for a moment she things that she maybe broke something in it. “God damn it. Stay on the couch.” She looks him over with an angry expression as he groans. She wonders what would have happened if that would have happened a little while earlier when he came downstairs and she was still at work. He could have broken his neck. “Mr. Barnes, can you help me get him to the couch again?”

“Yes, sure.” The brunette steps into the house and slings one of Steve’s arms over his shoulder. He almost carries all of his weight and Y/N is left to guide him to the living room. The brunette sets Steve down carefully and looks him over. “Is he okay?” Steve still looks a bit out of it and Y/N sees the worry in Mr. Barnes eyes. “He has a migraine and is supposed to stay down!” She says the last part a bit firmer and more to Steve than to the brunette. Steve only groans again NA Y/N guides him to lie down. “Stevie? Does something hurt?”

“Head.”

“Aside from your head?”

“Nah.”

“Okay. We’re in the kitchen. Stay put!” She kisses his forehead, squeezes his shoulder lightly and then waves to the other man to follow her. They walk into the kitchen and Y/N motions for him to sit down. “Take a seat.” She watches as he sits down, gets a glass from a cabinet and fills it with some cold water to passes it to him. “So, Mr. Barnes. Now I would really like to know why you’re here.”

“Call me Bucky, please.”

“Bucky?”

“Nickname of my middle name.”

“What’s your middle name?” Bucky seems to be a little uncomfortable but answers. “Buchanan.” Y/N snorts a little but gifts him a small apologetic smile afterwards. She really shouldn’t laugh at a stranger’s middle name. She was raised better than that. Bucky only shrugs, like he had heard that a lot. “I like Bucky better than Buchanan, too.” She nods and reaches out a hand. “I’m Y/N then.” Bucky takes the hand but it feels strange. She looks down to their hands and notices that Bucky’s is a shiny silver. “A prostatic?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry if it makes you uncomfortable.” Bucky seems to be kind of shy about it, quickly withdrawing his hand from her but Y/N shakes her head. “No, it’s okay.” She watches as Bucky massages his shoulder, seemingly unnoticed. “When did you lost it. If you don’t mind me asking.” Bucky shrugs and takes a deep breath. “In war. Saved a life and got hurts instead.” Y/N feels that he doesn’t really wants to talk about it. She can only imagen what he must have felt like after he lost it. “I’m sorry to hear that. That you lost it, not that you saved a live. It must’ve been hard.”

“It was.” Bucky’s face is blank and Y/N notices that it looks like a rehearsed expression. “Does it make you uncomfortable?”

“What?”

“You’re rubbing your shoulder like it hurts.” She motions with her head to his shoulder that he massages again. He looks surprised and blushes a little. “I can’t get used to it. But it’s the best I could get even if it’s uncomfortable.” Y/N hums at it and thinks for a second about telling him that Tony is actually an engineer and could make him an arm but then decides against it. You don’t go around and suggest that to people who you just met. Maybe if they get close. She really hopes that Steve likes this man and tries to establish something like friendship. At least she likes him, even if he’s some kind of awkward. “So, Bucky. Back to my question, why are you here?”

“Ah, right.” Bucky tuns on his chair to throw a look at Steve on the couch but the blonde is still lying and what they can see of him looks really green. “I hope it’s okay to tell you.” He mutters before he turns back to Y/N and gets the picture out of his jacket. “I’m working in the lost-and-found office of the military. We return things that were found after or even during the war to their owners or family members.”

“Yeah, Steve said something like that when I gave him your card.” Y/N nods and Bucky smiles kindly at her before he places the picture on the table. “We happened to find this picture. I did some research and asked a friend of mine who recognized the man as Joseph Rogers.”

“Steve’s dad.” Y/N breathes out and picks the picture up to look at it. She smiles at the small Steve on it. “Hard to believe that he looked like this until he turned twenty.” Bucky smiles, too. Of course, he had noticed the difference to a small, skinny kid and the muscular and big Steve. “I think he will be really happy. He really misses his parents. Mainly his father. He told me once that he was his hero for a long time.”

“That’s good to hear.” Bucky smiles and leans back in his chair just as a crash sound through the house. “Dear god, Steve!” Y/N jumps up and runs past Bucky back into the living room. Steve is lying on the ground again, holding his head, but this time there’s some blood oozing out between his fingers. “Bucky. Under the sink is the first aid kit, could you get it?” Y/N doesn’t look if he nods or not. Instead, she sits Steve up, back against the couch and carefully pulls his hands away. “What did you do?”

“Toilet. Felt sick. Stumbled.” Y/N cringes and looks into Steve’s eyes, trying to see if his eyes are still focused or if he has a concussion. Bucky comes running back to her and places the kit next to her. “Move a bit, I can do that. I was on duty for injuries on the field.” Y/N nods at him, not knowing how she should have patched him up. Instead, she watches Bucky tend to Steve’s wound and holds Steve’s hand, massaging his neck a little for comfort. “You’re good, Stevie? Still feeling sick?”

“Better. Thanks.” He smiles a little at Y/N before he directs his gaze at Bucky with a small crooked smile. “I’m Steve.” Bucky snorts while fixing the tape and then leans back a bit. Y/N thinks Steve must, either, hit his head pretty hard and suffers from a concussion or his migraine makes him go so straight forward. It’s obvious to see that Steve finds the man in front of him attractive. Y/N hadn’t missed him looking up and down on Bucky. “I’m Bucky. Nice to meet you, even if I hoped for less blood and collapsing.” Steve blushes deeply but smiles and somehow Y/N has the feeling that these two men could get along pretty well. “Help me up?” Steve still looks at Bucky, so Y/N backs off a little and lets Bucky do the heavy lifting. She quickly retreats into the kitchen, gets the picture and walk back to pass it to Bucky. “How about you stay for dinner? It’s already late.”

“Oh, I don’t want to impose or something.” Bucky looks uncomfortable between Y/N and Steve, clearly hadn’t expected to get invited for dinner. Y/N only shakes her head and pats him on the back, shoving him lightly to sit beside Steve. “You’re not. Besides, I think you two have a lot to talk right now.” She motions with her eyes to the picture in Bucky’s hand before she leaves the two men alone to prepare some dinner. While she works, she listens to Steve and Bucky talk. And somehow there is a plan forming in her head to get the two of them to meet more often.


	4. Trouble

“Y/N! You come shopping with me later?” Y/N looks up from her lunch in the cafeteria. Steve comes walking towards her, bright smile on his face and oblivious to all the girls staring at him. “Why?” She looks at him, a bit skeptical. He never asks her to accompany him because, when she does, they always buy more that is on the list. “No reason.” Steve shrugs and sits down opposite her. “Okay, I just pretend I don’t know that you have something in mind and go along. But no complaining.” She points her fork at him and Steve lifts his hands in surrender. “I promise.”

“By the way. Did you hear from Bucky?” Y/N wriggles her eyebrows as Steve blushes. It’s been one and a half weeks now since Bucky was at their house. Steve had actually talked pretty long with him and Y/N had witnessed some slight and pretty awkward flirting between the two. “I-I- W-why would I hear from him?” Steve clears his throat and looks around to see if any student is listening in on them. “Come on Steve, really? You two got a long pretty well. And I know you swapped numbers.”

“And?”

“And? Steve! He liked you.” Y/N leans forward to throw a pointed look at him. “He did not.”

“Steve!” Y/N hits him with her fork against the forehead. “He liked you. He flirted with you. I can’t believe you didn’t notice.” She falls back into her chair with a disbelieving expression. She stares for a while at Steve, how he squirms on his chair until he looks at her. “Yeah okay, fine. I liked him, too. He was pretty nice.”

“And he looks good.” She points her fork at him again, this time with a noodle still on it. “Yeah he does.” Steve smiles before he clears his throat and stands up. “I meet you at the car.” Then he leaves quickly to escape more of Y/N’s incoming ‘harassment’. She actually was about to ask if he got a date at the convenience store and was just to nervous to go alone. Well, she can always ask him in the car. She quickly finishes her lunch and puts her tray away before she walks to her classroom.

The class goes by nicely, the students actually try their best and Y/N is pretty proud of them. After all, exams are right on the doorstep. Y/N packs her things and walks down to the parking lot. Steve is already waiting, running up and down next to his pick up but stops as he sees Y/N coming closer. He smiles shortly before he gets into the car. Y/N raises her eyebrows but follows him.

Of course, Steve doesn’t answer her questions in the car. They get out of it and take a cart before they walk into the store. Y/N leads Steve through aisle after aisle until She stops. “Steve, you little shit.” She turns around and eyes him knowingly. “What?” Steve looks confused and on the same time caught. “I know why I had to go with you. Can it be that you knew a certain someone would be shopping here and because you want to talk to said someone you took me along so we still finish shopping in time?” Steve gets so red in his face that Y/N blurts out laughing. “Go on you hero.” Y/N takes Steve’s arm and pushes him in the direction she just spotted the brunette ex-soldier. Steve stops though and squeezes her hand with a fond smile. “Thank you, Y/N.”

“Yeah, yeah, get lost you Casanova.” She smiles at him and waves him off before she shakes her head and watches him. He walks up to Bucky, taps him lightly on the shoulder. Bucky turns around, a little confused but then smiles brightly as he sees Steve. They talk for a moment until Bucky turns around and catches Y/N’s eyes. He waves at her, still smiling, and she waves back before she actually turns away and continues the shopping. She sees both of them a few times, walking together through the aisles. Sometimes they’re both blushing and Y/N thinks that there was more awkward flirting involved. At some point Y/N got everything that’s on the list, and a little more, and searches for both men again. They’re just standing in the animal aisle and Y/N watches for a moment. Bucky takes a packed of cat food and adds it to the cart, laughing at something that Steve had said. She’s reluctant to interrupt, wanting them both to get closer. She already ships both of them. She can’t check out and et the stuff into the car, though. Steve has the keys. She walks slowly up to them, smiling as she hears both of them laughing. “Hello Bucky.”

“Y/N.” Bucky smiles back and Steve turns around. He looks a little annoyed that she interrupts but recovers as he sees the full cart. “Was that all on the list?” He quirks an eyebrow at her and Y/n laughs. “Of course not. But you promised you won’t be mad, so you can’t.” That makes Bucky laugh. Steve’s head spins around to the man and a fond smile forms on his face. They talk while they go picking up the last things Bucky needs and walk to the check out. The moment Y/N has paid she feels that Steve and Bucky are a little disappointed that they have to say goodbye now. “Bucky, it was nice to see you again.” Y/N smiles at him and he smiles back. “Yeah, I’m glad too.”

“Maybe you should come over for dinner again?” Y/N looks at him and winks at Steve as the man stares at her with a light blush. “oh, ah…. I-” Bucky looks at Steve and then nods. “I would like that.”

“Great. We see you then.” She smiles again at him and walks away for a few feet so Steve can say goodbye. He quickly catches up with Y/N afterwards and they are almost at Steve’s car as they hear a shout. “Steve! Wait a sec.” They turn around and see Bucky running up to them. Y/N quickly fishes the car key out of Steve’s pocket and walks away, leaving the man alone. She sees that they both shuffle nervously and Steve nods with the brightest smile she has seen in years. Bucky blushes a little, nods, too, and walks away then. Steve comes up to her as she loads the car, still smiling and a dreaming look on his face. “What did he want?” Y/N raises her eyebrows with her own little smile. Steve looks back at Bucky, who loads his own car now and Y/N has the feeling that he’s smiling, too. “He asked me out for the football game tomorrow.” Steve stares at her before he grabs her shoulders and shakes her, smile widening. “Y/N! He asked me out!”

* * *

Y/N stands in her office, staring at the sheet of paper in her hands. She’s confused, unsure and maybe a little bit angry. She read it twice now and it only makes her angrier. She makes noise between a sigh and a grunt as Steve enters her office, knocking lightly on the doorframe. “What are you looking at?” She startles, looks up at him and folds the paper to put it back in the envelop- “Just a letter from my Mom.” It’s not a letter from her Mom. But if she tells Steve who’s letter it really is then he will get worried. She doesn’t want him to worry, not today. Not when he’s going on his very first date with Bucky. Steve frowns at her and comes closer. “And that makes you sigh like you want to punch the wall and cry at the same time.” Y/n cringes a bit and quickly searches for a new excuse. “Wasn’t a really good letter.”

“Is your dad okay? He was sick, right?”

“Yeah, he’s fine. Out of hospital and refusing to rest like always.” She smiles at him and stuffs the envelope in her bag. “What are you doing here anyway?” Steve raises his eyebrows and looks at the clock on the wall. “It’s half past four. Bucky is downstairs and waits for us. He texted me he would drive you home before we go.” Y/N’s mouth forms a ‘o’. She had totally forgotten about it after she saw the letter. Bucky texted with Steve last night telling him he picks him up after work. They would leave Steve’s car at school, picking it up tomorrow. Y/N would drive with Steve to school and would go home in her own car. She has less classes tomorrow than Steve so it fits perfectly. “Right. I forgot.” Steve shrugs at her but studies her face. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah.” She curses lightly. The answer was way to rushed. “I mean… I wanted to go to Tony before we leave. I have something to discuss with him.”

“Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”

“I- I rather have it sorted out today. I’ll be quick, I promise.”

“Okay.” Steve stretches the last letter, not quite believing her. “I’ll go with you.”

“No, Steve.” Y/N places her hand on his arms, holding him back a little. He looks confused at her; clearly haven’t thought she would stop him. “I’ll go to Tony. You have something to do.”

“What?” He turns fully to her, still looking confused. “You have a date, Stevie. Don’t miss it for me. I’ll get home somehow if it takes too long.”

“I would miss everything for your wellbeing. You’re my best friend.” It’s strange that he phrases it like then but then again, he doesn’t believe that she’s alright anyway. Y/N shakes her head again. “I know but you shouldn’t, Steve. Go down, have a nice evening with Bucky. I’ll be fine.”

“We still wait for you downstairs. We promised to get you home first.” Y/N nods again. She’s almost past him as he grabs her arm. “You would tell me if somethings wrong, right?” Y/N looks into his face and smiles lightly. “I would. Don’t worry. Why don’t you wait with Bucky?” She places her hand on Steve’s and they look at each other for a moment before Steve withdraws his hand reluctantly with a nod. Y/N nods, too and then turns to walk out of the classroom. She looks after Steve for a moment before she looks down at the paper. “When will you leave me alone?”

She walks down the hall waves at her pupils but tells them she has no time to talk at the moment. She knocks at Peppers door and wait for her to call her in. Her nerves are almost frayed with fear. She doesn’t want to think back at her relationship with Rumlow. It was one of her worst mistakes she ever made and apparently, he has not forgotten about her. “Pepper, is Tony free right now?”

“He has a video conference in ten minutes, when you’re quick you can go in.” She nods at the door and smiles at Y/N. “Are you okay? You look really pale?” Pepper stands up from her chair and walks up to Y/n as she nods. “He’s back.”

“Who?”

“Brock.”

“Oh my god.” Pepper holds a hand in front of her mouth with shocked expression. “Go in. I hold the call off for as long as I can.” Y/N nods again, turns to the door, knocks and steps in without waiting this time. Tony looks up, seriously annoyed but frowns at he sees her face. He stands up and rounds his table. “What’s wrong?” Y/N takes a deep breath before she holds out the letter. Tony looks confused, takes the letter and reads it over. Several expressions run over his face but the one of anger is the most dominant. “Brock Rumlow again. I didn’t expect him to come back so soon.”

“What do I do now?” Y/N’s voice is filled with fear and she knows it trembles. “What if he comes?”

“Does he know where you live?” Y/N shakes her head. “He never went to the house with me. If he didn’t follow me then he doesn’t know about it.”

“Good.” Tony walks back to his desk and picks up his phone. He waits a second before he speaks. “Happy. Take Jarvis and Pietro, secure the gate. No strangers are allowed to enter. No, it starts now. Who entered?” Tony listens with his eyebrows drawn together before he looks at Y/N. “Do you know a brunette man with long hair and silver hand?”

“Ah, yes. That’s Bucky. A friend of Steve’s and mine.”

“He’s okay, Happy, let him be. I send you a picture in a minute. That man is not allowed near the school. Make sure we don’t even catch a glimpse of him.” Tony hangs up and looks at Y/N. “Do you need something? And who is that guy with a metal arm?”

“He’s the one you gave our address to. You remember him, Mr. Barnes?”

“Oh, that guy. He has a metal arm? I would like to see that.” Y/N raises her eyebrows but Tony only rolls his eyes and looks at the little lamp on his phone which shows the signal from Pepper that his conference is about to start. “Y/N. You know I would never let him near you. Not here. I will do everything I can.” He looks at her with an expression that shows Y/N that he means what he said. “I can’t protect you at home but you know you can call me if somethings up. And you have Steve there, too.” Y/N shakes her head with a deep breath. “Steve doesn’t know.”

“What? Why?”

“He’s so happy lately, with Bucky and all. I- I just don’t want him to worry and ruin what he has.”

“Y/N!” Tony walks back around the table and wraps her in his embrace. “You know he wants to know. Rumlow is an asshole and Steve hates him more than I do. You should tell him.”

“I can’t.” She grabs the fabric of Tony’s jacket and hides her face in his shoulder, letting a few tears slip. “Do you need something? Pepper spray or a knife or something? I could give you Pepper. She’s better than any spray.” Y/N snorts a small smile before she shakes her head. “No, I think I’m good for the moment. Thank you, Tony.”

“No problem, but remember to tell me if somethings up. And better don’t go home alone. Let Steve drive you or something.”

“I will.” She smiles at him again and then turns around to leave. She’s not sure if she will be alright, though. She really doesn’t want to see brock again and certainly not at her workplace. She walks with muscle memory, not really paying attention on where she goes. She only stops as she walks right into someone. “Y/N. I was just about to look after you.”

“Steve.”

“Everything’s good? You look like you cried.” Y/N nods at him and lets him lead her outside to Bucky’s waiting car. “Hello Bucky.”

* * *

Steve sits down in the car again, a little frown on his face as he watches Y/N close the door to their house. “You okay? I mean if you’re uncomfortable or don’t want to go anymore I could just-”

“No.” Steve’s head whips around to Bucky. He blushes then and clears his throat, feeling a little awkward. Again. “I- No. Let’s go. I actually looked forward to today the whole night.” Bucky smiles at that, ducking his head a little with his own blush before he starts the engine again. They drive for a while, only having some small talk until they reach the bar Bucky wanted to take Steve to. They try to find a parking lot but everything is full of cars. Bucky sighs annoyed Steve looks over. The brunette looks some kind of angry and disappointed. Without thinking he places his hand on Bucky’s arm and smiles kindly at him. “You know, Football was never my favorite thing anyway. We could grab some dinner.” Bucky looks a bit confused but then smiles at him. “okay. Something special in mind?”

“Surprise me.” Steve smiles back and his hand lingers for a moment longer on Bucky’s arm. Bucky nods again and drives away from the bar. “What makes you frown so much?” Bucky looks over at Steve before he looks back at the street. Steve looks confused for a moment before he sighs. “It’s Y/N.”

“Y/N?”

“Yeah. There’s something that’s on her mind. I have the feeling it’s something bad and she won’t tell me.” Steve sees Bucky look over for a second time. “Are you sure about that? I mean… Isn’t it normal to have some secrets?”

“Yeah. I guess. But… There happened something a few years back. It got us really close together and since then we usually tell each other everything.” Steve looks out of the window with a sigh. “I just worry.”

“I think she’s fine.” Bucky places his free hand on Steve’s thigh and pats it. “She looked fine to me.” Steve look back at Bucky and huffs a little smile. “So, Enough with that. I’m hungry.” Steve clears his throat and tries to get his thought back on his date. He really couldn’t sleep at all last night and was very nervous the whole day. He wants this date and he wants it to be great. Bucky laughs. “We’re almost there. I hope you like good Italian food.”

“Like? I love it.”

Dinner goes by like no time at all. They laugh and talk and Steve even surprised himself with taking Bucky’s hand on top of the table. Both of them blushed deeply but neither wanted to be the first to withdraw their hand. They walk along the streets, looking at what’s visible of the stars before Bucky suggested to drive Steve home. It was actually quite late now and Steve has to work the next day, so he agreed.

Now Steve opens the door and leads Bucky inside. They walk into the living room as Steve stops. Bucky looks over his shoulder and smiles at the sight. Y/N lies on the couch, curled up into a small ball, all wrapped up in the blanket and drooling a little on the cushion. The tv is still running and her laptop lies open but abandoned on the coffee table. Steve can see that she did some creative writing, which she hasn’t done in a while. He walks over to her and strokes a strand of hair out of her face. Then he looks back at Bucky. “Why don’t you stay the night?” Bucky looks away from Y/N and to him with a little frown. “I would love to but I can’t.”

“why not?” Steve frowns too, showing Bucky his sad puppy expression. At least Y/N calls it like that. “I have work tomorrow and I think Magnolia won’t like it if she’s not getting any breakfast tomorrow.”

“Magnolia?” Steve looks confused. Had Bucky told him about a daughter or a woman living with him? He would have remembered that, right?

“Yeah. Magnolia or Maggie. She’s my cat.”

“Oh, right.” He blushes a little, remembering the cat food Bucky had brought. “Then, will you wait a moment? I want to get her to bed.”

“sure.” The brunette shrugs and Steve smiles at him before he bends down and gets Y/N out of the blanket. He quickly picks her up as she starts to grumble. “’eve?”

“Shh, go back to sleep.” He carefully makes his way up the stairs. Y/N sighs and leans her head against his shoulder while her breath evens out again. Steve tries to be quick but careful as he places her down on her bed, covering her with her blanket and stroking another strand out of her face. Then he walks back down, finding Bucky still on the spot he left him and smiles at him. “Thank you for waiting.” Bucky smiles back and shrugs. Steve walks him back to the door. “Thank you for tonight. It was grate, I really enjoyed it.”

“Me too.” Both men smile and the silence stretches a little. Neither of them wants to be the first to say goodbye. “maybe… we can do it once more?” Steve asks, rubbing his neck with a blush. “Yeah, that would be great.” They look at each other, silent again until Bucky sighs annoyed. “Fuck it.” He grabs Steve’s shirt and pulls him in. carefully but determined. He crashes his lips on Steve and kisses him. At the first moment Steve feels taken by surprise but then he leans in and kisses back, placing one hand on Bucky’s cheek with a sigh. They break apart but only for an inch until Bucky sighs. He leans in again, giving Steve a quick pack on the lips before he steps away. “I see you soon, Steve.” He smiles and then all but rushes to his car and slips in. Steve still stands at the door, staring after the brunette with a dumbfounded smile and watches as the car drives down the street.


	5. Comfort

Four days later Y/N walks into the staffroom. She’s tired and stressed, not because school, she wishes it was that. No. She got a letter each day. Rumlow just won’t let her be and Y/N has still not gotten over it and told Steve. Everyone notices that he’s happier at the moment. Some students even couldn’t concentrate on class and started bugging her until she gave it up and told them that Mr. Rogers might have met one who’s special for him. The girls cheered and even some boys clapped at that. Then the questions came up if it’s a woman or a man. Apparently, the whole school could imagine Steve to have both and Y/N had laughed. Her answer was that they have to ask Steve himself.

Now she flops down on her chair watching the other teacher chat. Steve actually gets corner by some of them and gets pumped for details which makes the man blush really hard. She smiles at that, placing her books on the desk to go over her exam once again. It’s only four day now until summer break, her last exam is tomorrow morning and after that she just decided that the students can work on what they want in her class. A hand taps on her shoulder and she looks up to be greeted with one of the math teachers. “Y/N you got some mail again. I wonder who’s writing you the whole time. Someone special?” She winks at her and Y/N smiles an uncomfortable smile. She takes the envelop and stares at it, waiting until the other woman left to talk to Steve, too. She turns the envelop in her hands for a few times, debating if she should open it or just throe it away. She would live easier if she won’t open it. She sighs and rips it open, reading it over. She gets angrier and angrier with each word, helpless at the same time. She just wants this to end. She crumples the letter into a small ball, throe it on her desk and stares at it. She still so angry that she pushes her book off the table in blind rage before she slumps down, head on her arms and tears starting to leak. She notices that the whole room got silent and that everybody is probably staring at her. A hand on her ack startles her a little but she doesn’t look up. She knows instantly that it’s Steve. “Y/N? Look at me, please.” She lifts her head a little to look at Steve, still crying and shaking a little. The man frowns at her before he wraps her up in his arms and lets her cry into his shoulder. His hand runs over her back, up and down to soothe her. “Talk to me.” Just three little words. He doesn’t push her into talking and doesn’t command her. She always liked that about him. Understanding and never pressuring but offering. Y/N sobs again, tightens her grip and points at the paper ball on the desk. One of Steve’s hand leaves her back and reaches for the ball. He gets the paper straightened somehow and reads it over, his rubbing hand getting sloppier by each passing second until he places the paper down with a calmness that should make Y/N afraid. “He’s back?” Y/n only nods, nit trusting her voice as the tears still flow. “How many did you get?” Y/N sniffs and leans back a bit, not wanting to look at Steve. “One each day since last Week.”

“Y/N.” Steve sighs but leans in to kiss her head. Then he pulls out his phone and dials a number. “Pepper? Send Tony into the staffroom please. I know but it’s urgent. No, we can come up, too. Yes. Yes. Okay.” He puts the phone back down and slowly stands up. He picks up the letter and lifts Y/N on her feet. “Come on, doll.” Y/N sniffs again and grips Steve’s hand tightly. “Don’t be man, please.”

“I’m not mad. At least not at you.” Steve hold her tightly at his side, ignoring the students they pass. Y/N ignores them too but still holds her head down, hoping no one really catches on how she looks right now. They step into Peppers office and the red head comes over instantly. “Y/n, dear god. Come here.” She guides Y/N inside of Tony’s office and sits her down on the couch in the corner. She passes her a glass of hot tea and sits down beside her, one arm slung around her shoulders. She starts quietly murmuring to her while Steve walks up to Tony’s desk. “Did you know about that?” Steve throws the paper on the desk and Tony eyes it with some sort of confusion. “Of what?” He takes the letter and reads it over before he runs a hand through his hair. “Yeah. I did know. I told Happy that no unknown people are allowed to enter the school and gave him a picture that he should memorize with Jarvis and Pietro.” He looks up at Steve and Steve notices that Tony gets angry too. “And you didn’t think about cutting the mail off?”

“Dear god, Steven! She only told me about the first letter! After she didn’t come back with another one, I thought it had stopped with that one. I can’t control all the mail of all of you.” Steve glares a second longer but then falls down on the chair behind himself. He sighs and rubs his hand over his face too. “I know.” He looks back at Y/N who listens to pepper’s talking and then back to Tony. “what are we going to do?”

“I could get Y/N on vacation earlier.”

“No, tony.” Y/N’s silent voice come over from her spot. Both men turn to her and have confused expression. “I don’t want to stay at home because of that. Because of him. I don’t want him to make everything bad. And it’s only a few days longer anyway.”

“What do you want me to do then?” Y/N shakes her head and rubs her eyes. Steve suspects that they probably sting pretty badly now and that she starts sporting a headache. “Don’t give them to me, throw them away, burn them, I don’t care.” Steve looks over at Tony. He sees the same expression on his face that he suspects is on his. They’re both not really happy with Y/N’s decision. Steve shrugs as Tony looks at him. “Okay. But I want you to go home now.”

“What?” Y/N almost stands up but Steve walks over to her and pushes her carefully back down. “Y/N. The students saw you cry. They probably have a lot of questions and it is clear to see that you’re not good. Go home, rest. I put our classes together, let them study for our exams and answer some of the questions.”

“I don’t want to go home.” Steve sees that she’s a little afraid. He can’t tell if it’s because of the letter or not but he suspects that she feels like Rumlow could be behind every corner. “I can call Buck and ask him to pick you up?” Y/N shakes her head and sniffles a little. He has work too. “Yeah but maybe he can take you home in his break. I’ll ask him. Okay?”

“Can’t I stay here`?” She looks up at pepper then at Tony but both shake their heads. “I’ll call him.” Steve presses a small kiss to her forehead before he stands back up and dials Bucky’s number.

* * *

“Here we are.” Bucky parks the car in front of the house and looks over at Y/N. She looks kind of pale but better than when he picked her up. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah.” She looks over at Bucky and smiles at him. “Thank you for driving me.”

“No problem.” Bucky smiles back and takes the key out of the ignition, loosing his seatbelt and gets out of the car. He rounds its and opens Y/N’s door to let her out before he closes it and locks the car. “What are you doing?” Bucky shrugs and motions to the door. “I don’t have much to do today, no one will miss me at work.”

“You can’t just ditch work.”

“Already did.” Bucky flashes another smile at her and guides her to the door. She opens and steps in, Bucky follows. “You really don’t need to babysit me.” Y/N turns around and looks at Bucky. “Who says I’m babysitting? Steve said you make the best lasagna so I though you make me one, for driving you home.”

“He defiantly didn’t say that. He hates my lasagna. But okay, I make you one.” Bucky smiles at her and shrugs out of his shoes. The moment Y/N walks into the kitchen he takes his phone out to write Steve.

<< Staying until you come home. Is her lasagna really bad?

>> Thank you, Buck. :) No, it’s okay but not my favorite, why?

<< Might have told her you said it’s the best and she should make me one.

>> Ok. Don’t worry. Her cooking is better than mine.

<< So, I won’t never eat something that you make if you say it like that. :)

>> Better not. :)

<< O.O

>> XD I need to go back. Take care of her, Buck. :*

“Bucky? Do you want something to drink? Or are you gonna chat with Steve and distract him from work?”

“W-What?” Bucky slips the phone quickly into his pocket again and stops into the kitchen. Y/N turns around and smiles at him. “I’m not dumb. I know he asked you to stay here.” Bucky’s light blush turns into a darker one. He slips on the kitchen chair as Y/N giggles at him. “It’s okay Bucky. Don’t worry about it. I know Steve is a little mother hen and can’t do anything about it.” Y/N shrugs and stats stirring the minced beef in the pot. Bucky watches her for a while until he speaks up. “I saw he hung up the picture.” Y/N turns to him and smiles. Yes, he did. You know, he was very glad he had the picture. It was the last day he saw him. Shortly before his dad had to leave Steve fell in and was brought to hospital. He had not really a chance to say goodbye and regrets that since then.” Y/N leans on the counter. “It’s not his fault, he knows that but he doesn’t want to hear that anymore. I think that you gave him the picture made… I think it felt like he could say goodbye now.” Bucky stares at her and nods slowly. Steve hadn’t told him about that when he gave the picture back and it surprises Bucky that the story behind it is that sad. “Do you want to hear some funny stories about him?” Y/N smirks and walks over to him, supporting herself on the table and looking directly at Bucky. He has the feeling he should say no but he’s actually pretty curious about Steve. And it seems that it’s a good distraction for Y/N. “of course.” He smiles and watches as Y/N’s widens. “Perfect. I like to embarrass him before it gets serious. Go sit on the couch, I’ll just finish this and shove it in the stove.” Bucky watches her for a moment before he stands up and walks into the living room. Instead of sitting down he walks along the wall, looking at all the pictures on it. Some are of Y/N and, probably her family, Some of Steve and his parents, and some of both of them. They look happy on all of them. At one or two he has the feeling Y/N looks more sad than happy but she’s still smiling. He stops at a picture with Y/N and Steve on it. It doesn’t look that old, at least not in his eyes. Steve give’s Y/N a piggyback ride and she seems truly happy. Steve smirks at her over his shoulder while she ruffles through his hair. “That was his birthday.” Bucky turns around to see Y/N stand behind him. “He hates celebrating it. He says it never feels like it’s about him, but that day I forced him. I made the whole day all about him and he went all shy on me, but he liked it.”

“why does he feel it’s not about him?” Bucky looks at the picture again. “His birthday is the 4th of July. I think everybody would feel like that on this day.” Bucky raises his eyebrows and looks back at Y/N. She smiles at him and grabs hi metal arm, careful not to pull too hard. “Come on. I have my photo album somewhere with all the embarrassing pictures we need.” The smirk is back and causes Bucky to bark out a laugh.

Y/N tells him about all sorts of stories, from Steve’s childhood to their collage days, while they eat. Bucky laughs tears and has to admit he rally like Steve. Even if he’s a punk. At some point they talk about Bucky then. He tells her about his parent, his life, the war. He pulls out the tags while he talks, rubbing his thumb over the metal, almost absentmindedly before he shoves them back in hi pocket. Then he quickly changes the topic to Magnolia. He tells her about the white little fluff ball that he found under his magnolia tree in the garden and which cam back each day to sleep there at night. “I took her in at one point and since then she stays with me. She’s more out and inside but she always come back.” Bucky smiles softly and looks at Y/N. “She sounds really cute. I would like to meet her.” Bucky laughs and pats her knee. “I’m pretty sure she would like you.”

“I’m home!”

“Hey Stevie! Welcome back.” Y/N shouts and leans a little over the back rest to look at Steve who come in. “Hey Buck.”

“Hi.” Bucky smiles shyly. Steve sits down but pales. “No, Y/N. Tell me you didn’t.”

“What?” Y/N looks innocently at him. Bucky is confused looking between both of them. “Tell me you didn’t show him that.” He glares at the photo album on the table next to the dirty dishes. “Ah, Stevie. You know I’m a sucker for embarrassing you.” Y/N smirks and Bucky can’t other than laugh at Steve’s expression. “Don’t worry. I still like you.” Bucky looks him deep in the eyes and Steve relaxes at least a little. “One day I burn that thing.”

“I still have all the photos.” Y/N laughs and gets up to clean the dishes away. Bucky watches as Steve glares at Y/N until he looks at him. “Thank you, Buck. She looks better.”

“No problem.” They smile at each other, none of them saying something, loosing themselves in the moment. “When are you going out again?” Y/N pops up beside them and give them a scare. “W-what?” They both stammer and Bucky feels slightly embarrassed. Y/N only laughs and slap their shoulders. “You go out tomorrow then.”

“Y/N hold on. You can’t just plan a-” Steve stops to look at buck before he continues. “You can’t plan a date for us.”

“To bad I already did.” Bucky blushes deeper. He feels his ear getting warm and face terribly hot, but Steve doesn’t look any better. “Here. Have fun.” Y/N kisses Steve’s cheek, quickly says her goodbye and vanishes upstairs, leaving Steve and Bucky alone in the living room in an awkward silence. “W-what did she gave you?” Bucky stammers, still feeling pretty dumb. Steve looks down at his hands. “Tickets for the aquarium.” He blushes more before he looks at Bucky. “Do you want to go with me?” Bucky feels himself getting hotter again but he smiles at Steve and nods. “I’d love to.”


	6. Not as planned

Y/N runs around wildly. Works has actually made fun; the kids were glad to have finished the last exam before summer break and she hasn’t gotten any letters. Steve was nervous the whole day which made Y/N laugh even more. She can’t understand how someone who already had a date and got KISSED could still be nervous. She still a little mad at Steve for not telling her, though, but glad that Bucky did. Y/N had shoved Steve to the car after the bell rang and driven home madly. At home she had ordered Steve to grab a shower and dress into something nice. “I don’t understand why this isn’t nice.” He looks down on himself and Y/N scoffs. “Steve, your shirt has paint all over it, your jeans scream work clothes and you smell. Hurry up, I put something out for you.” She closes the door after Steve and smiles. Somehow, she feels just as excited. Like she would go on a date herself. She quickly searches through Steve’s dresser, mumbling about going shopping with him to actually get some new clothes, before she grabs some of his nicer jeans and a blue button down. Then she leaves his room to change into some swats and a shirt that she stole form Steve a while ago. The doorbell rings and she hears a curs form Steve’s room. “Shit.” She walks out to the hall and knocks on Steve’s door. “Relax, Stevie. He’s early. Take your time and make sure you look nice.” She runs down the stares and opens the door to reveal Bucky. And he look’s nice. His hair as wrapped into a bun, he wears a red shirt with a black leatherjacket and black jeans, his beard is neatly trimmed. “You look good.” The man blushes a little but smiles. “Thank you.” He looks back behind himself before he clears his throat. “Ah… Y/N, can Steve… I mean… Can he drive a motorcycle?”

“I think so, he had one back in the days.”

“Thank god.” Bucky lets out a sigh of relieve and Y/N watches him curiously. She leans a little too the side and looks behind him. There’s a motorcycle. Not any but a Harley-Davidson. She smiles at Bucky. “I think he gladly drives with you Bucky.” The man smiles back at her before his face goes slack. Y/N frowns for a second before she turns around. There is Steve, dressed in the clothes Y/N had laid out and hair neatly styled. Y/N winks at Steve and steps away, leaving the two men to greet each other. She steps into the living room as her phone rings. She smiles still at Bucky and Steve and pick up without looking at it. “hello?”

“It’s nice to finally hear your voice again.” Y/N feels how all color drains from her face and her smile vanishes. She knows the voice and she hoped she would never hear it again. “Hoe did you get this number?” Y/N quickly looks back at Steve and Bucky before she walks into the kitchen. “I have my ways. You didn’t forget that, did you?” Rumlow laughs and a shudder runs over Y/N’s back. “What do you want?”

“I want to see you.”

“No!” her answer comes fast and straight, without any hesitation but still a little shaky. “Aw, Y/N. are you still mad after all this time?”

“Go away, let me be. Don’t call again.” She hangs up and stares at the black screen. She feels shaky all over, takes a few deep breathes and tries to calm herself down. She hadn’t thought she would hear his voice ever again, and she hadn’t thought it would affect her that much. She walks back out into the living room after feeling calm enough, forcing a smile in her face as Steve turns around. If he notices that her smile isn’t honest than he doesn’t say anything about it. “Are you two ready?”

“Yeah. Y/N I’m going to ride a motorcycle again.” Y/N can see his excitement. It has been years after all and he loved driving his old motorcycle until it got victim of an accident, luckily without Steve on it. “I know.” Her smile widens just as her phone rings again. She briefly looks down but turns the call down. She has just enough time to look up as it rings again. she doesn’t take it again. Steve frowns a little at that but than again it’s not that unusual for her to not take call if she’s not up to talk on the phone. “What are you two going to do?”

“I thought about the aquarium, dinner and then maybe a movie?” Bucky looks at Steve with an unsure expression but the blonde smiles and nods. “Sounds grate.”

“DO you have your briefcase, Stevie?”

“Ah, damnit. I’ll be right back.” Steve turns and quickly runs up the stairs. Y/N laughs and looks at Bucky. “He was really nervous all day.”

“I can relate to that, mee too.” Y/N rolls her eyes. “You two really fit.” Her phone rings again. Y/N closes her eyes and lets out a defeated sigh as Steve comes back down. “Excuse me for a sec.” She really doesn’t want to take the all. She doesn’t want to talk to him now or never again. She wants him gone. To leave her finally alone after all these years. “What do you want!” She whispers it aggressively, sounding braver than she feels. “Oh Y/N, look at you. You sound so brave, wholly different than back then.”

“I dare you. Leave me alone.”

“Y/N, come on. I know you miss me. Listen-”

“No! You listen. I told you I don’t want to hear from you! Leave me alone, asshole!” She shouts and disconnects the call, in a rush of anger throws her phone on the ground but instantly regrets it as she hears it crack. She takes some deep breathes and closes her eyes, trying to get her tremble under control. “Y/N?” She hears Bucky’s worried voice, takes a last shaky breath and turns around to look at Steve and Bucky who still stand in the entrance, both with shocked faces. Her eyes stop at Steve’s and suddenly she bursts into tears. “Shit.” Steve curses and instantly rushes forward to embrace her quickly into a comforting hug, knowing what just happened. “H-he…”

“I know.” Steve rubs his hands over her back as she fists hers into his shirt. She feels helpless. What is she going to do? How can she get rid of him?

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Steve rocks a little with her, running his hand through her hair. Bucky still stands in the entrance, looking really uncomfortable. He closes the door and takes one step inside but keeps silent. Y/N calms slowly until she finally leans out of Steve’s embrace. She rubs her eyes and looks at Bucky. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hold you both back.”

“Y/N, don’t apologize because of that asshole.” Steve still rubs her back a little. “M-Maybe we should reschedule, Steve. I should probably go.”

“N-no. It’s okay Bucky.” She gifts him a watery smile, wiping the last of her tears away. “I’m good now.”

“Don’t leave, Buck. We could watch a movie here, order some takeout.”

“No, Steve. You were both looking forward to today. You should still go out.”

“I’m not leaving you alone right now.” Steve turns to her but Y/N shakes her head. “And I won’t let you stay here and ruin a perfect date with Bucky.” They both glare at each other until Steve sighs unsure. He looks over at Bucky before he reluctantly steps back. “You’re calling me the instant he bugs you again.”

“He won’t. My phone broke.” Y/N looks down on what’s left of her phone, little glass pieced lying around it. “Still. Y/N. I mean it. The instant something off.”

“Yes, Steve. I promise.” She looks him straight into the eyes and for a second, they only stare at each other. Steve sighs and slings and arm around her shoulders, kissing her forehead. “Okay. We’ll be back by ten.”

“Have fun.” She smiles and kisses his cheek, walking both men to the door. The still look unsure of the situation but neither of them argues with her. She waves after them until they vanish behind a corner. Just then she closes the door and slides down against it.

* * *

“Steve! Steve look!” Bucky pats Steve’s arm excitedly and Steve feels like he’s running around with a child. A child that he really, really likes. “What?” He smiles at Bucky’s wide grin. “They’re feeding the dolphins! Come on.” Bucky grabs Steve’s hand and Steve feels a blush creep up on him as he’s pulled around the halls. They reach the dolphins all too soon but to his surprise Bucky doesn’t let go of his hand. Steve looks down at them and, in a bold moment, interlaces their fingers and squeezes Bucky’s hand lightly. The brunette turns around, at the first moment looking confused but then he grins at Steve and pulls him to a seat. “You love dolphins, huh?”

“No, but their sounds are funny.” Bucky still beams and Steve has to actually laugh. “Right.”

They watch the feeding and Steve lets Bucky pull him through the whole building, still acting more as a child than adult but Steve likes it. he thinks Bucky is cute like this and he never met a man that can be this excited about some fishes. He hasn’t forgotten about Y/N, though. Now and then his thought run back to her and worry creeps up in his mind. He always concentrates back on Bucky then, not wanting to ruin anything but they’re through the aquarium all too soon. Bucky drives them to a nearby restaurant and they get a table. Steve knows he notices him stare at his phone and sighs. “I’m just calling her real quick.” He looks apologetic at Bucky and picks the phone up to dial their number. It rings and rings and Steve starts frowning until their mailbox answers. “Hey Y/N. It’s me. I just want to check up on you. Are you there? Could you pick up?” He waits a little until the mailbox shuts down. He frowns at his phone and looks at Bucky. “Something’s not right.”

“Why?” Bucky looks a little worried too. “She’s not picking up.”

“Maybe she went out, too? With some friends?”

“Maybe but… No. She wanted to grade some of the exams the kid wrote today. She won’t go out.”

“She could have changed her mind.” Bucky shrugs again and places his hand on Steve’s. “She’ll be okay.” Steve sighs again, still frowning at Bucky but then he nods and slips his phone into his jacket, leaving the volume on.

They still decide to quit the movie. Bucky feels Steve’s worry increase after she didn’t pick up the second time, he called either. So, he drives him home and walks inside with him. “Y/N?”

“Stevie!” Y/N shouts and comes running up to him. She almost stumbles but catches herself on Steve’s shoulder with some sort of strange giggling. “Were you drinking?” Steve raises his eyebrows confused and shoves Y/N into the living room. Bucky is already ahead of them. “Jus’ a teeny-tiny bit.” Steve looks at her as she squints her eyes and shows with her fingers how much she drank. Thumb and pointy finger meeting. “A teeny-tiny bit, huh.” Bucky laughs and points at the empty campaign bottle on the coffee table. “od dear…” Steve cringes a little and looks Y/N up and down who clings to him, still smiling and seemingly happy. “Come on doll. Let’s get you to bed.”

“Nooo…” Y/N whines and bobs a little up and down but Steve looks stern at her. You’re going to bed, young lady.” She pouts at him but stretches her arms out. “Carry me.” Bucky snorts at that but Steve picks her up like a child, she wraps her legs around him and cuddles into his shoulder until his eyes meet buck. “Ohh…. Pshhh, Bucky. Come, come.” She waves him over with a big smile and Bucky curiously does. Steve eyes her closely. “What is it?” Bucky whispers just as loud as Y/N does. “Stevie’s in love with you.” She giggles a little more but presses her pointy finger on her lips. “Pshh, you can’t tell him I told you.” She giggles some more and Bucky smiles at her. “I promise.” He eyes Steve though; whose face is beet red by the point. He quickly walks up the stairs and gets Y/N to bed. It takes nearly twenty minutes to get her out of her clothes and to sleep. By the time he’s back down Bucky is still there. “That was something new.”

“Yeah. Sorry.” Steve blushes and rubs his neck before he looks up at Bucky. The brunette smirks at him and crosses his arms. “So, you love me?” Steve’s blush deepens. “I- I like really, really much.” Bucky’s smile widens and he walks closer to Setve. “That’s good because I like you too.” He grabs Steve’s arms and leans in, Steve meeting him half the way. They kiss softly but lovingly. Steve slings his arms around Bucky’s waist and pulls him in a little, startling a surprised sound from the brunette. Bucky breaks the kiss and leans a little away to look at Steve. “Should I leave?”

“No.” Steve’s voice is soft and fond. “Stay. We can watch a movie here. Get some more food.” Bucky’s smile widens and he kisses Steve briefly again. “Sounds good.”

* * *

Y/N wakes with the worst headache she ever had. Steve actually doesn’t have to wake her and the moment she frowns at the clock she sees that it’s still pretty early. She slips out of bed, cursing herself for letting her drink and walks into the bathroom. She drinks a glass of water, hoping it helps with the sick feeling and steps into the shower to get the smell off her. Then she gets dressed, brushes her teeth twice because she thinks she still smells like alcohol and wanders out of her room. She peeks in to Steve’s but finds it empty. She’s a bit confused, thinking she remembers Steve getting her to bed but maybe she imagined that and Steve actually went to Bucky’s place instead. She walks down the stairs still yawning rubbing her eyes and getting her wet heir into a bun to brush later. In the living room, on the way to the kitchen she sees the tv flicker. Curiously, she walks over and stops. Pizza packages are strewn around, two bottles of beer on the coffee table and two very asleep man on the couch. Bucky actually lies on top of Steve, secure in the blonde’s arms. Y/N smiles at them, grabs the blanket from their armchair and drapes it over them both without waking them up.

She’s almost finished with her light breakfast as Steve and Bucky stumble in. “Morning, Y/N. How are you feeling?”

“Bad.” Y/N groans at Steve and smiles at Bucky. “No wonder by the empty bottle there.” Steve point at the sink and Y/N groans once more. “Don’t remind me.”

Both men eat a quick breakfast as well and chatter with Y/N about the date. She’s happy that it went so well. “Ah, Bucky. Do you need some of Steve’s clothes? You probably have work too, right?”

“No, I’m good. I have off this month.”

“You- How can someone have a month off?” Steve frowns at Bucky but he shrugs with smile. “Haven’t taken any free days the whole year and my boss said he would force me to take my vacation. So, I thought I could take it now, when summer break starts.” He blushes a little but lets his eyes linger o Steve. The blonde splutters for words and Y/N claps him on the shoulder with a laugh.

After Bucky drove home- and agreeing to Steve’s offer for dinner as apology for the missed movie- Steve got ready, he drives them both to school for the almost last day. They walk across the parking lot as Y/N suddenly stops. She stares ta the wall and doesn’t even hears Steve call her until he places a hand on her shoulder. “You’re good?” Her head whips to Steve and back to the wall. “Yeah.” Her voice is confused, silent and thoughtful. “I thought…” Her head slowly turns to Steve while she talks, eyes saying as long on the wall as she can. “I thought I saw him. Brock.” Steve’s eyes snap to the wall then, looking it up and down before he looks back at Y/N. “He can’t get in here, okay? You probably saw a shadow or one of the kids.”

“You’re probably right.”

“Come on.” Steve hooks her arm in his and pulls her to the building. Still, Y/N is the whole day a fidgety, nervous wreck. She twitches at each unexpected sound and never leaves the classroom. Steve even has to get her the lunch because she refuses to leave.

They get home just as Bucky arrives, Y/N is still fidgeting so Steve gives her something from his meds. He has pretty intense PTSD sometimes and need them for it. It makes him really sleepy then. He gives Y/N only half of it though and sends her to bed with the promise of waking her up later. “What are you two doing?”

“Watching some movies, probably.” Steve smiles at her and kisses her temple. She nods and walks to the stairs but turns around before she walks upstairs. In an attempt to get some tension loose she smiles ta the boys. “No loud noises please.” Steve blushes deeply which makes Y/N and Bucky laugh. “Steve, you’re supposed to be an adult, not a teenager.” She smiles again and leaves them alone. “What’s up with her?” Bucky turns to Steve but he shakes his head. “Sorry, Bucky. That’s really not my place to tell.” Bucky nods understanding and sits down on the couch, letting Steve chose the first movie.

* * *

Y/N walk down the stairs around dinner time. She hasn’t slept very well. It was dreamless and not resting at all. She’s still nervous having the feeling that something is going to happen. She walks past Bucky and smiles shortly at him before she meets Steve in the kitchen. She’s still fidgety and itches for something to do. Steve has just taken out a pan of the cupboard as Y/N speaks up. “Steve? I’ll make dinner today.”

“What? No. It’s my turn and you’re supposed to rest.” Steve turns to her, pan still in hand and with a confused expression. “Steve.” Y/N looks some kind of pleading at him but she only wants something to occupy herself with. Grading won’t do the job; she can’t concentrate on that right now. “Come on, Y/N. Go into the living room, start a movie or series with Bucky.” Suddenly Y/N feels pretty angry, so she snaps. “Dammit, Steve! Get out of my kitchen!” Steve looks startled and maybe a little hurt. He stares at her for a second but then gives her a curt nod, places the pan back on the counter and leaves the kitchen. Y/N follows each of his moves and sighs defeated after he leaves. She buries her face in her hands and listens Bucky talk to Steve. “What was that?” She curses herself. She can’t let Rumlow ruin her friendship. She can’t let him have that power over herself. She waits a few seconds to calm herself down and breathe before she walks to the fridge and gets out two beers. She opens them and walks out of the kitchen to the living room. She holds them out to Steve without any words. He looks a bit confused but then smiles and takes them. Y/N quickly walks back to the kitchen but stops behind the door to listen. “And what was that?” Bucky sounds more confused than before. “A peace offering.”

“A peace… offering?”

“Yeah.” Y/N hears Steve’s amusement and that makes her smile again. “She never lets me drink at home, except when we have something to celebrate. Has something to do with her past as far as I know. That’s why it was strange that he drank last night.” Bucky hums. Y/N pushes herself from the door and walks to the cabinets. She gets everything out what she needs to make some pizza.

The moment the thing is in the oven and she steps out into the living room it knocks on the door. Steve and Y/N meet eyes and both look confused. “Is the doorbell broken?”

“I don’t think so.” Steve shrugs and stands up but Y/N waves him down. “I’ll go look who’s there. Stay with your boyfriend.”

“he’s not-” Y/N doesn’t listen to his protest and Bucky’s snickering.

“So, I’m your boyfriend now?”

“Bucky…” Steve whines feeling deeply embarrassed. Bucky laughs and pulls Steve down. He places his hand on his cheek and leans in to kiss him. They lose themselves a bit in the kiss as a horrific scream sounds through the house. They both jump apart. “Y/N!”


	7. Rumlow

“Y/N!” Y/N looks up from the ground as Steve come running up to her. She’s crying and her hands hurt so much. The package lies abandoned on the ground. She cradles her hands against his chest. “Y/N! Hey, what’s wrong?” Steve frames her face in his hands and searches it for anything unusual until his hands stop at her hands. “Is that acid?” Bucky stops behind Steve and looks down at the hands. “Steve get her hands under water. Fifteen minutes at least, and get the clothes away!” Steve gives him a curt not and Y/N feels his hand under her arms as he lifts her carefully. “S-Steve. It hurts.”

“I know. But we get it off. Come, doll. To the guest bathroom. Y/N continues crying in pain and it gets more intense after the first droplets of water hit her burned skin. “No.” She tries to pull away but Steve stands behind her and has a death grip on her wrists. “It’s okay, Y/N. It gets better in a second I promise.” Though all the haze in her head it sounds like Steve is either angry and about to punch something or on the verge of crying himself. It’s not that far-fetched that it probably both. The man presses against Y/N’s back, trying to give her as much comfort as he can while still holding her wrists under water. “It’s okay, shh.” She kisses her cheek ad Y/N leans a little back against him. The tears come flowing, because it hurts and because she’s probably in shock. “I called the police.” Bucky comes into the bathroom and steps up beside Steve and Y/N. he peeks at her hands and grimaces a bit. The fabric in the package look totally drenched. Whoever send that was intending on Y/N touching it and getting acid all over her.” Y/N Cries harder again and Steve starts rocking her a bit, letting one of his hands go from her wrists and slings it around her chest. “Come on Y/N.”

“I’ll get the first aid kit and turn the oven off. Come to the living room?”

“Yeah:” Steve nods and carefully steers Y/N into the living room and onto the couch. She stays close to Steve and hides her face in his shoulder. Steve runs his hand through her hair and looks at her hands. They’re red and look badly burnt. He knows it must hurt pretty bad. Bucky comes back, glove on. He kneels in front of Y/N. Show me your hands?” He asks gently and takes her hands in his as she reaches them out. She whimpers a few times as Bucky carefully wraps them. “What are you doing?” Steve looks at him, concern still in his eyes. “Wrapping them up so no bacteria can get on them and infect her wounds.” After he finishes Y/N whimpers again, starting to cry again. Steve pulls her on his lap and wraps a blanket around her. Bucky sits down beside them but stands right back up after he hears the first siren. He comes back in with two officers. “Steve?” Steve looks up and sees a pretty familiar face. “Clint. Nat.” He nods at the red-head that follows the blonde man. “You know each other, too? “Bucky. You’re not the only one with contacts.” The red-head claps Bucky on the shoulder before she walks over to Steve and Y/N, while Bucky walks with Clint to the package that he had shoved into the corner of the entrance. “Hey, my name is Natasha. Can you tell me what happened?”

“I-I…” Y/N sobs again and hides back in Steve’s side. “It’s okay Y/N.” Steve rocks a little again before he looks at Nat. “She was making dinner and Bucky and I were watching a movie. Then there was a knock on the door, which is strange because the door bell works just fine. She went to look and then screamed.”

Is there something you can add, Y/N?” Nat nods at Steve but turn her attention back to Y/N as a new siren comes closer. “T-There was a package.”

“Was someone else there? Someone on the street?” Y/N shakes her head against Steve’s shoulder as two paramedics come in. “Steve!” Steve’s head snaps back up. “Sam?”

“Yeah. Who’s hurt?” The man comes closer with a younger woman behind him. “Y/N got acid on her hands.” The dark colored man nods and kneels down beside Nat who stands up to make some room. Sam carefully unwraps one hand, making Y/N whimper again. He hisses at the angry red skin. “Wanda, we take her with us.” The younger woman nods and leaves the house. “You want me to come with you?” Steve looks down at Y/n and she nods shakily. “Steve, we need you for some answers.” Steve frowns then kisses Y/N’s forehead. “Okay, doll. I come to the hospital as soon as I can. Sam’s a friend. He’s taking good care of you.” He helps her up and guides her to the ambulance where the younger woman already waits. He kisses Y/N’s forehead once again. “Everything will be alright.”

He looks after the ambulance until it’s completely gone before he walks back instead the house. Bucky stands with Clint in the living room now, package secure in a plastic box. “Why do you know him?” Bucky looks confused at Clint. Before the blonde can answer, though, Steve speaks up. “We met years ago and worked together for a while.” Bucky looks still confused but Steve sees that he’s not going to ask further. There are mor important things to handle anyway. Nat looks at him with a flat bur professional expression. “So, we handle this like a heavy case of bodily harm. It could have turned out worse than it did. Do you have any guesses who might be behind it? Is there someone who want’s Y/N hurt?” Her eyes wander from Bucky to Steve and back. Bucky only shakes his head but Steve answers straight. “I do.” Both, Nat and Clint raise their eyebrows and Bucky looks startled at him. “His name is Brock Rumlow.”

“And why do you think he is the cause of this.” Clint directs his focus on Steve too know. “Because he’s Y/N’s ex and one of the worst kind of people I know. And I met a lot of people.” Clint nods at that and crosses his arms. “Why do you think he’s the one? What did he do to her?”

“Because he hurt her. He started controlling her, taking her phone away, installing cameras in the apartment, won’t let her out until he actually clocked her in the apartment.”

“How did she get away?” Bucky breathes and Steve sees his shocked expression. He certainly hadn’t thought of something like that. He takes one of Bucky’s hands and squeeze it. “I helped her to get away.”

* * *

Steve just shoves the key into the motel room door as his phone rings. He sighs a little. The day has been stressful with packing up his thigs form his job he just quit. He quickly opens the door, steps into the small room and closes the door, throwing the key onto the bed before he takes the call. “Hello?”

“S-Stevie?”

“Y/N?” Steve takes the phone from his ear and looks at the caller ID. It actually Y/N and he frowns, he almost didn’t recognize her voice. She sounded scared and like she’s been crying for hours. He holds it quickly back to his ear. “Are you okay?”

“C-can you come get me?”

“What’s wrong? What did he do?” Steve is worried, immensely. But at the same time, he’s really angry. Since Rumlow locked Y/N in two weeks ago he tries to get her to break up but she always says she can’t. he had thought it would be because she still loves him, something woman almost always seem to say if they have an abusive boyfriend but he never really considered Y/N to be one of these women. “Please, just come. Brock- H-he’s not home right now.”

“Okay. I’ll come. Stay put okay?”

“Y-yeah. Please hurry before he’s back.” Now Steve worries all the more. “I’ll be there.” He quickly hangs up, grabs the keys back from the bad and rushes out to his Pickup. He probably breaks some laws but he gets to Y/N pretty far. He doesn’t bother with ringing the bell or something, he just runs up the stairs to her apartment and breaks the door open. “Y/N?!” He looks around frantic until he sees her. She’s rolled to a small ball on the couch. She twitches at the loud noise and curls a bit more, looking at him with wide and terrified eyes. Steve instantly sees that she’s shivering. He runs up to her and falls to his knees next to her. “Oh god, Y/N. What did he do?” He frames Y/N’s face carefully, looking her over. Her left eye is completely swollen closed, she has a bruise on the right side of her head and a nasty looking split in her lip. He notices that she cradles her right wrist to her chest. It looks a little bluish and swollen. All in all, she looks just miserable. The worst, though, does he only notices after she starts sobbing and throws herself at him. He sees it only for a brief second. She has strangle marks, from hands. He feels the anger in his chest get bigger but he tries to control himself. It’s not Y/N he’s angry at and she needs his support and comfort right now. “Doll. What happened?” He searches her eyes while he leans back a little. She only sobs and point at the kitchen. “H-he w-was drinking.” Steve follows her finger. There are more bottles than he can count on the table and Steve has to admit, that the man even was able to get out of the apartment without crashing down the stairs and breaking his neck is a wonder. “Where did he go? Do you know when he’s coming back?” Y/N only shakes her head, still crying so Steve tightens his arms around her again. “It’s okay. We get you out of here now. Okay?” Y/N nods shakily and lets Steve pull her up. For a moment he glares at the mark on her throat before he focuses on her wrist. “We wrap that later. Let’s pack your stuff first. Have you boxes or bag?”

“Y-yeah. Under the bed and behind the wardrobe.” Steve give her a curt nod. He tells her to pack all her clothe and toiletries while he gets all the technic and kitchen stuff he knows is hers. Which is almost all of it. He hopes it will all fit on his pickup because they won’t have a chance to come back and get the remining things later. He loads everything on the car and in a matter of an hour they finished. “Steve? Did you take the TV? That’s not mine.”

“I know but he will live without it. And he can buy himself a new one. He has the money.” Steve grins at her and is relived as she actually lets a small smile slip. “Where do you want to go know?”

“I don’t know.” She almost whispers, looks down on her wrist that she wrapped in frozen peas. “Where are you living?” Steve sighs and starts the engine to leave the old apartment behind. “Still in the motel, haven’t found anything, yet.” Y/N nods and looks out of the window for a moment, then she speaks up silently. “My grandma left me a house when she died half a year ago. I wasn’t there since we buried her.” Brock doesn’t know of it.”

* * *

“We got all her stuff packed out and she asked me to move in with her. We haven’t really heard of Rumlow since then. We only know he was furious and tried to find her. But she quit her job so he had no clue where to search and gave up quickly. I still think Tony has his hands in this.”

“Tony?” Natasha looks at him with a frown. “Yeah. Tony Stark. I had gotten a job at his school then and he employed Y/N too as she came along to my interview.” Both officers nod. “Have you seen him recently?”

“No. Y/N only received letters at work. She told Tony to burn them or something. And he called her yesterday. She was pretty upset and fidgety today. This morning she said she had thought he was at the school. I haven’t seen him though. And tony made sure he can’t get onto the terrain.” Clint nods and scribbles something on a block that he had taken from his pocket. “Well, now he knows where she is so you should make sure she doesn’t come back here for a while. Take her to a hotel or to a friend.” Natasha looks around the house before she picks up the boy Clint had put down. “I don’t know where to take her.” Steve frowns and runs a hand through his hair, the one that is not holding Bucky’s. “You can live with me.” Steve’s head snaps around to look at him. “Buck, we don’t want to impose on you. You probably have enough to do than-”

“No, it’s okay. You need to stay somewhere else and my house is big enough. I have two guest bedrooms you can use. And Magnolia probably would love another woman in the house. She likes to harass me and probably would like if Y/N joins her. And a bonus is that this guy doesn’t know me.”

“I don’t know, buck.”

“Why not, Steve.” Clit puts his block back into the pocket. “It’s a good idea. Better even since he doesn’t know of Barnes.” Clint grins at Bucky and he rolls his eyes at the call of his surname. Steve looks at Bucky for a while until the man places one hand on his cheek. “It’s okay. I don’t mind.”

“Okay.” Steve breathes with a small twitch of the corners of his mouth.

After that, Clint and Nat leave quickly, promising on staying in touch with them about the case. Bucky and Steve quickly pack the most important things from Y/N and Steve into three bags and throw them into Bucky’s car. While the brunette drives to his house, Steve drives to the hospital to stay with Y/N and provide comfort.


	8. Awkward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, i had time to write this chapter, I'm not satisfied though. I might rewrite it later, which i will anounce on my Twitter or Discord if i do.
> 
> Twitter: @Yuulina_vre  
> Discord: https://discord.gg/MYgmfSk

Y/N had gotten some painkillers for her hands and Dr. Banner gave her something to stay calm. She feels drowsy and tired. Steve had almost carried her to his car. She heard him talk about moving to Bucky but didn’t catch half of it. She falls into a deep doze after Steve sat her on the seat, forehead pressed firmly onto the cool glass of the window. She hears him call someone, but it slowly fades into silence as her eyes droop close.

The next thing she notice is that Steve lifts her up again. She feels sluggish and tired, only able to wrap her arms around his neck and snuggling deeper into him. “Steve? We home?”

“Yeah, doll. We’re at Bucky’s, remember?” She hums and closes her eyes again. “I prepared the guest room on the right for her. It’s directly opposite yours and mine is next to hers.” Y/N opens her eyes again only to be met with a half worried and half smiling Bucky. He looks at her with concern in his eyes while he guides Steve through the halls with a hand on his lower back. She smiles a small smile back and lets Steve carry her all the way upstairs and into a room. “Maggie! Get down. Y/N is supposed to lie there.” Y/N looks around and spots Bucky standing at a bed, scolding a white cat that ignores him completely. Her green eyes are trained on Y/N though. “That’s Maggie?”

“Yeah. The little rat. Always there where she’s not supposed to be.” Bucky sighs and picks the cat up that protests with a loud meow. Steve sets Y/N down with a small laugh. Instead of getting settled, Y/N stretches her bandaged hands out for the cat. “Give me.” Bucky raises his eyebrows, wearing the same amused smile that Steve has on his face. He lets the cat jump from his arms onto the bed and she walks proudly over to Y/N, sniffing carefully on her pants and on the bandaged hand she stretches out. Y/N squeals lightly as she butts her head against it and she quickly picks the white fluffy ball up to place her on her lap. “Oh, I think they’re best buddies now, Steve. We’re no longer needed.” Bucky sighs dramatically making Steve laugh and Y/N giggle a little. Steve looks fondly at her and Y/N raises her eyes to meet his. “What?”

“Nothing. It’s nice to see you laugh.” She smiles lightly at him. “Sap.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll be downstairs.” He raises his hand with another laugh but before he can follow Bucky outside Y/N stops him. “Steve?”

“Yeah?” he turns around and looks expectant at her as if Y/n would demand he stay and help her fall asleep. “Make sure you don’t let him go.”

“W-what?” Y/n sees him blush in a deep red and smiles at him. “You know what I mean.” Steve’s small smile shows that he knows exactly what Y/N means. He nods shortly and leaves the room, closing the door with a silent clicking sound. She smiles still at the door but then looks at her lap as the white feline climbs on it and starts rumbling in her chest. With all her care and energy that she has left, she shuffles back until her back hist the headboard, then she strokes with her fingers carefully through the white fur. It clams her immediately. The door opens after a silent knock and the brunette quickly peeks back inside the room. “Y/N, I saved your pizza and put it in my oven. If you’re hungry you can come down, yeah? Should be ready in five.”

“Thank you, but I’m not that hungry anymore.”

“Alright. I still save you some if that big blonde goof didn’t eat everything by know.” Y/N smiles at him but is quickly distracted as Magnolia supports herself on her shoulders and butts her head against her chin. She misses Bucky’s smile and the snapping of his mobile camera.

* * *

That night, Y/N turns in bed several times. She’s tired, but each time she closes her eyes, she has pictures of Brock in her mind, of the things he did and the things he could do. Maggie lies next to her on the bed, fast asleep, tightly cuddled against her shoulder. She had purred for a while, obviously trying to calm Y/N down, until she fell asleep herself. Y/N sighs and carefully slips out of bed. Her hands burn and throb. She hates everything at the moment. As silent as she can she leaves the room only to looks up and down the hall. Her eyes lock on the door that hides Steve’s guestroom and for a moment she debates of waking him and asking if he would watch a movie with her. She stares a little longer until her tiredness wins and she opens the door silently. “Steve?” The room is dark and no noise sounds through the room. “Steve?” She whispers a little louder, tip toeing over to the bed and is surprised to not only find Steve there, but Bucky, too. She had gone to bed quite early, way before Steve and Bucky did, but she hadn’t thought they would slip into one bed. Especially not this early, they barley don’t know each other. Well, Y/N isn’t blind though and has seen how well they get along, so instead of being concerned, she decides to be proud of Steve. He usually is a little awkward and old-fashioned about this kind of things so it’s an immensely big step for him as well. She blushes a little, looks around and studies both men. They’re dressed, thankfully, which means this isn’t more awkward than it could have been. She’s just about to leave as she hears Steve groan. “Y/N?” His voice is slurred, obviously tired and sleepy. “Sorry. I’ll go again.”

“Nah, was’sup?” She watches as he sits up a bit, letting Bucky’s normal arm slip from his chest. The brunette huffs in his sleep and turns a little. Y/N can see that he’s not wearing his prosthetic. “Y/N?” Her eyes snap back to Steve and she shuffles on her feet. “I can’t sleep.” Steve raises his eyebrows at her, not really looking surprised. “Wanted to ask if you’re watching a movie with me, but… you have a guest, so I just-” She points back at the door ready to leave, but Steve stands up, walks around the bed and crosses the one foot over to her to wrap her in a hug, pressing her to his chest. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I know it’s a lot right now.”

“Not as worse with him as it was before.” She chuckles dryly. She knows she’s right, though. Burns aren’t the worst that Brock can do, and she knows it pretty well. They stay like this for a moment, reluctant on what to do. She buries her face in his chest and sighs deeply. Another hand startles them. The hand grabs Y/N’s arms and she’s about to scream, but then she notices that Bucky had gotten out of bed. He pulls her with him on the bed, lies back down and pulls her into him with a yawn. “Ehh…” Y/n looks startled and confused at bucky, who’s eyes are closed already and then to Steve who just stands there and looks surprised. “Punk, you’re staying there?” Y/N looks a little uncomfortable to Steve, haven’t thought Bucky would do something like that. But then again, she doesn’t know him that well either. Steve only raises his eyebrows before he snorts. “Jerk.” He crawls back in bed and warps Y/N in his own arms, pulling her close to him like they do, when one of them is in a bad mood. She snuggles a little closer into his embrace and closes her eyes. Sleep comes sooner than she has expected it to come.

* * *

The next day, is a slow going one. Bucky stays home with Y/N, claiming he can work from home as well. Steve had gone to work like usual, promising to tell Tony that she won’t be at work for the next few days and telling her, that he will home around lunch, skipping his last class, since they are still working on their art projects. Now he should be home any minute. Y/N sits on the couch, flipping through a book while Bucky plays with Maggie. He was supposed to be working but Y/N isn’t the one to tell him that. Then the doorbell rings. “Could you?” Bucky sists on the floor while Maggie crawls all over him, so Y/N nods and stand up. The doorbell rings violently. Instantly she knows who it is, even before she opens the door. Tony is pressing the button violently, while another man stands behind him, looking pretty embarrassed. Y/N stares for seconds before she catches herself. “What are you doing here?”

“What does Rogers mean, you can’t come to work because that asshole burnt your hands?” Y/N looks down to her hands before she really notices the other man behind Tony. “Dr. Banner?”

“Hi.” Dr. Banner waves shyly at her and Tony only raises his eyebrows. “Why do you know each other?”

“He’s the doctor that looked at my hands.” Y/N looks still confused at the doctor, but Tony turns around to him. “Why haven’t you told me? I worried for nothing!”

“You wouldn’t let me finish.” Tony rolls his eyes and turns back to Y/N. “So, are we gonna have a chat at the door or will you let me in? And where’s your robo-friend? I want to look at that arm.”

“Tony!”

“Where’s who?” Just then does Bucky come around the corner and steps up next to Y/N, looking at the new guests. “Oh. I know that one. Isn’t he your boss?” Bucky raises his eyebrows and looks at Tony, who only crosses his arms. “Yeah he is. Also, a friend.” She glances back at him before she looks at Bucky. “And a little worried about me. Hey Bucky, can I talk to you for a sec?” Y/N doesn’t wait for an answer and starts dragging the man to the kitchen, careful of her hands that start throbbing again. She doesn’t tell Tony or Bruce to come in, she knows Tony does it anyway. “What’s wrong?” Bucky stops walking in the kitchen and Y/N turns to him, glancing nervously at the door and back to Bucky. “Well, you know. Tony isn’t always the nicest. I mean… eh... He doesn’t mean to be bad, but sometimes insults just… slip.”

“Aha.” Bucky frowns at her and Y/N clears her throat. “So, he knows you have-”

“Y/N, I don’t care if he insults my arm. I’m used to it by now.” Y/N sighs and looks at his arm. Bucky really shouldn’t be used to it. He’s such a nice person and knowing that he gets lots of comments about his missing limb makes Y/N sad. “Okay. There’s something else, though.”

“What is it?”

“Okay, so, you know Tony works at the school and is the headmaster, right?” She waits for Bucky to nod before she continues. “Well, he’s not only the headmaster and a teacher but an engineer. He built some things for the army before he dropped that and invented stuff like mobiles, tablets, things for clean energy… for people.”

“I don’t understand what that has to do with me.” Y/N looks at him, a bit lost, debating how to tell him that Tony wants to see his arm. She still doesn’t know if it’s a difficult topic for him to get touched by strangers. “He wants to look at your arm.” She blurts it out and curses herself afterwards. “Oh.” Bucky suddenly looks pretty unsure. He looks down at his hand with a frown before he looks back at Y/N. “You don’t need to let him. You can just tell him you don’t want to, but he knows what he does. Sometimes, though, he’s a bit harsh with words and feelings.”

“No, I- I think it’s okay.” Bucky shrugs and Y/N can see that he tries to play it cool but really isn’t. “Maybe he might help with your shoulder. He could figure out why it so uncomfortable.” Bucky only nods and walks with her into the living room. Tony has already made himself comfortable while Dr. Banner throws an apologizing look at them. They talk for a while. Bruce, how she learned to call him, wraps her hands again and says that it looks better than the day before, but she still has to apply the salve and wrap it up for a few more days. Magnolia seems to find the new guests as disturbance but settles on Y/N’s lap and lets her stroke her fur in pleasure. She still throws glares at the two brunettes, though. At some point Y/N looks up at Bucky and finds him staring at her with a pout. “What?”

“It’s not fair, you know?”

“What do you mean?” She watches him confused. His eyes wander to Maggie and Y/N’s hand and back up. “She already loves you more than me. That’s not fair. I’m feeding her.” Y/N instantly barks out a laugh. “Are you jealous?”

“Yes.” Y/N laughs even louder now and just throws a pitying look at him. “I’m sorry. Can’t help it, though.”

“Maybe I can help with that.” Y/N looks up to see Steve entering the Livingroom, crooked smile and work bag slung over his shoulder. He walks up to Bucky, who turns around and puts his hands on the other man’s shoulder, lightly massaging him with a soft smile. “Look at that, Rogers finally found himself a girlfriend.”

“Tony!” Y/N scolds him the same moment Bruce does. At least he has the decency to look ashamed and shatters that the next second. “A boyfriend, sorry.” Y/N rolls her eyes and catches Steve blushing furiously while Bucky just looks equal confused, embarrassed and… happy? Steve rubs his neck, casts a small look at Tony and vanishes quickly. Y/N glances at Bucky. “I’m sorry, I told you he’s not good with feelings and all.” Bucky just shrugs.


	9. Tough night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky has a tough night.

Y/N comes to slowly. Everything’s a little hazy after taking some painkiller for her hands. She fell asleep quickly after but know she’s awake, thinking she heard some pained grunts and instantly assumed she woke herself up from a nightmare. Not surprising since the events had brought up a lot of buried memories. Her nightshirt is drenched in sweat and her hands hurt again, like she had fisted the sheets tightly. But then there’s a small shout and that definitely wasn’t her doing. She sits up, carefully rubs her eyes with the ball of her thumb, and listens again, closely this time. The grunts and whimpers are still there, seemingly getting louder. “Come on, wake up. You’re fine, it’s okay.” That’s Steve. Y/N rubs her eyes again, whimpering a little against the pain, pushes the blanket away and slips out of bed, tip toeing out of her room and following the voice. It guides her to Bucky’s room and as she glances inside, she sees Steve sitting on the bed, holding Bucky’s hand, probably massaging a specific point to calm him down, and talking to him in a silent voice. “Steve?” The man whirls around. Y/N can barely see in the dark room, but she thinks she can see the concern on Steve’s face. “Sorry, did I wake you?” She looks from the blonde to the brunette. Bucky lies on the bed, drenched in sweat, making pained whimpers but doesn’t move. “What’s wrong?” She steps further inside and to Steve, who lets out one of his own whimpers. “I-I don’t know. I woke up when he started grunting and shouting. I came over to look after him and when I tried to wake him up, he didn’t respond. He’s not even moving.” HE runs a hand through his hair. “I have no idea whats happening.”

“Not moving? Not even a twich or something?” Steve shakes his head and jumps a little as Bucky’s cat comes into the room, only to jump on the bed right beside him and watching the scene. She’s probably concearned, too. “I… think I know whats up.”

“Yeah?”

“He was a soldier, right?” Steve nods and his gaze lands instantly on the missing arm. “Though he its normal that he gets nightmares. Sometimes nightmares are comined with sleep paralysis. He probably wants to move bt cant. His body is still ina form of deep sleep while his mind is more awake. I wouldn’t be surprised if he can har us, maybe he’s even awake. When I was small, I had that a few times. It’s not really funny.” Y/N shrugs a little and runs her head through Bucky’s hair to stroke the sweaty locks from his forehead. “What can we do? To help him I mean. There must be something.”

“Erm… Talk to him. Keep him grounded and from panicking, that just makes it worse.”

“What should I talk about?” Steve looks nervously around but his eyes always find their way back to Bucky’s face. “I don’t know. Talk about things from your art or history class, doesn’t matter as long as it keeps him grounded. You’ll think of something.” Instead of looking further at Steve struggling she stands up and walks back into the hallway and then to the bathroom. She finds a small hand towel and a bucket and fills it up with cool water. She carefully loops her arm through the handle to carry it without hurting herself and gets it back to Bucky’s room. There she plants it beside him on the ground, soaks the tole up and lets Steve squeeze the water out again. Her own bandages are soak trough, but she doesn’t mind that for the moment. Instead, she takes the towel again and starts carefully wiping Bucky’s arm and face to get rid of the sweat but also to calm the heated skin and get him out of whatever deserted places is in. It takes a while. The man whimpers a few time and Y/N notice that some tears are slipping past his closed eyelid. She carefully wipes them away, listening to Steve going on about a kid in his class that rather should work in the engineering class of Tony instead of his art class. Then suddenly Bucky’s Fingers start twitching. For a moment they both just stare at his hand, but Steve quickly comes out of his stupor and warps his hand around Bucky’s. “Bucky? Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?” A few second later Bucky’s eyes flutter open slowly, he gazes at the ceiling before he turns his head with a sob to Steve. The man doesn’t even waste a millisecond. He pushes bucky up a little and wraps him in his arms, whispering soothing at him. “It’s alright, your awake now. We’ve got you. You’re alright.” As if to confirm Steve’s words, magnolia gets up from her spot and walks over to Bucky, nuzzling her head against his stump before climbing between the two men and settling on Bucky’s lap with silent meow and constant, soothing purring. Y/N watches for a moment as Bucky sobs and Steve comforts him. There’s a plan forming in her head for the men for tomorrow, but she keeps it in her mind for now. Instead, she gets up and moans at her aching knees. She carefully squeezes Bucky’s shoulder before getting the Bucket and towel back into the bathroom only to slip into her room to retrieve her laptop and the breakfast trey with legs from the kitchen and slips back into Bucky’s room. The men have already detangled themselves, though Steve has slipped under the covers with Bucky tiredly leaning against his shoulder. “So, I assume you both won’t get back to sleep anytime soon and I thought some movies would do you both some good.” She motions with her head to her laptop and suppress a wince as she set up the tray and laptop. She quickly starts a movie she knows Steve likes and smiles at the boys. Bucky manages a small one but Steve shoots her a fond and grateful look. Just as she’s about to leave the room she hears Bucky’s silent voice. “You’re not staying?” Surprised she turns around to see both men looking at her. She debates for a second if she should stay but then she shakes her head. “Nah, I’m going to take some more painkillers and hid the hay again.” She grins at both men, waves and leaves quickly, hoping that Bucky can fall asleep soon. The movie she put on is really boring and she always falls asleep in the first twenty minutes or so.

* * *

The next morning, after Y/N got dressed, tended to her hands and wrapped them up again she walks to Bucky’s room, peeking inside. The scene that greets her is different from the one she had expected, but glad, nonetheless. Her laptop and the tray lie abandoned on the ground, next to some clothes she recognizes. From what she can see of them, Steve has wrapped himself around bucky, both suspiciously naked. Well, at least he got back to sleep. “You little sly dog, Stevie.” Magnolia seems to find it just like that, too. She comes up to Y/N from the hall, probably having escaped after the first layer of cloth came off of the men. Now she walks around her legs purring and meowing for food. “So, just us for breakfast huh?” She closes the door silently and walks downstairs into the kitchen, preparing herself a quick breakfast and texting Tony that she’s coming back on Monday, which gives her enough time for her hands to heal and get the boys to actual dating. “Maggie, you know you’re not allowed on the table, right?” Y/N raises an eyebrow as Magnolia hops on the tables after devouring her own breakfast. The only response she gets is a loud meow and a stolen piece of bacon.


	10. On Hiatus!! Note

Hey everyone.

You probably have noticed that I haven't really written anything in a while. I just wanted you to know that this story will be finished eventually, but I want to start it all over again, because I'm not really happy with what's been written so far.

So I'll start re-writing it. I will update the chapters that have already been uploaded, but it's possible that I add new chapters in between. So it might be good to check in from time to time. News about updated chapters and other stories will be posted on my [Discord](https://discord.gg/MYgmfSk) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Yuulina_vre). So if you want to stay up-to-date, you can follow me on either one. :D

I'm also willing to take prompts (even if it might take a while to write them), so don't hesitate to suggest something.

Love you all

Yuulina


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